On sky testing of the SOFIA telescope in preparation for the first science observations
Proceedings of SPIE(2009)
Abstract
SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is an airborne observatory that will study the universe in
the infrared spectrum. A Boeing 747-SP aircraft will carry a 2.5 m telescope designed to make sensitive infrared
measurements of a wide range of astronomical objects. In 2008, SOFIA's primary mirror was demounted and coated for
the first time. After reintegration into the telescope assembly in the aircraft, the alignment of the telescope optics was
repeated and successive functional and performance testing of the fully integrated telescope assembly was completed on
the ground. The High-speed Imaging Photometer for Occultations (HIPO) was used as a test instrument for aligning the
optics and calibrating and tuning the telescope's pointing and control system in preparation for the first science
observations in flight. In this paper, we describe the mirror coating process, the subsequent telescope testing campaigns
and present the results.
MoreTranslated text
Key words
optics,spectrum,infrared,control system,infrared astronomy,control systems
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