The only flying observatory SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) is about to leave. The German Aerospace Center announced the end of the mission on Thursday after the US government no longer wanted to provide the US space agency NASA with more money for continued operations.
In September this year, flight operations of the converted Boeing 747 will be discontinued after eight years and a total of around 800 flights. Germany bore 20% of the operating costs of around US$85 million – not far below the annual costs of the significantly more profitable Hubble Space Telescope. The instrument was also developed and built in this country.
very expensive in comparison
SOFIA consists of a converted Boeing 747, which houses a 17-ton special telescope specializing in far-infrared observations. Among other things, this made it possible to prove for the first time the naturally occurring molecule that first formed after the Big Bang. This helium hydride ion HeH+ had been sought after for decades.
The DLR explained that the instrument was also used to research how galaxies develop and how stars and planetary systems form from interstellar clouds of molecules and dust. The plane is parked in Palmdale, California, but was on the move all over the world – regularly also from Christchurch, New Zealand.
The fact that the use of the flying telescope will soon end is due to the “Decadal Survey” of the umbrella organization of the US science academies last fall. In these recommendations for future astronomical research, important to NASA, it was demanded goodbye to SOFIA. The reason given was “high costs and modest scientific productivity”. No way has been found to significantly increase productivity.
NASA followed suit and now the DLR is saying goodbye too. SOFIA completed its five-year core mission in 2019, after which a three-year extension was decided upon. Ends in autumn. DLR would like to thank the teams on both sides of the Atlantic for their excellent work.
(mho)
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