[Faculty] Fwd: [CSRC-SDSU COLLOQUIUM]: Engineering Challenges of Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

[Jose Castillo]

*DATE:*  Friday, October 24th, 2014

*TITLE:*  Engineering Challenges of Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared
Astronomy (SOFIA)

*TIME:*  3:30 PM

*LOCATION:*  GMCS 214

*SPEAKER:*  Dr. Nans Kunz. National Engineering Safety Center (NSEC) Chief
Engineer at NASA Ames

*ABSTRACT:*  SOFIA is the largest airborne observatory in the world,
capable of making observations that are impossible for even the largest and
highest ground-based telescopes. During its planned 20-year lifetime, SOFIA
also will inspire the development of new scientific instrumentation and
foster the education of young scientists and engineers.
SOFIA project was an 80/20 collaborative project between NASA and the
German Aerospace Center (DLR).  SOFIA is based on a Boeing 747SP wide-body
aircraft that has been modified to include a large door in the aft fuselage
that can be opened in flight to allow a large (2.5 meter diameter)
reflecting telescope access to the sky.  Modifying an existing airframe to
accommodate and operate as an observatory posed several challenges. The
open cavity housing the telescope is exposed to high-speed turbulent winds.
In addition, the vibrations and motions of the aircraft introduce observing
difficulties.

This presentation will discuss the challenges of this interdisciplinary
project with a focus on the translation of astronomer’s desires into
engineering requirements, early feasibility demonstrations, technical
development, and challenges overcome in integration.

For more information on the Sophia project:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA/

http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Sofia/sofia.html


*HOST:*  Dr. Satchi Venkataraman

For future events, please visit our website at:

http://www.csrc.sdsu.edu/colloquium.html

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SDSU Computational Science Research Center
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Jose E. Castillo  Ph.D.

Director / Professor

Computational Science Research Center

5500 Campanile Dr

San Diego State University

San Diego CA 92182-1245

619 5947205/3430, Fax 619-594-2459

 http://www.csrc.sdsu.edu/mimetic-book/

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