Futuristic telescope topic of talk

Valley Press on ^ | Saturday, June 23, 2007.

[BenLurkin]

PALMDALE - The world's newest flying telescope will be in focus on Saturday, June 30, at NASA's Aerospace Exploration Gallery in the Palmdale Civic Center. Dr. Dana Backman will give presentations regarding NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronom beginning at 9 a.m., then repeating at 10:30, noon and 1:30 p.m.

Dr. Backman is with the SETI Institute and the Universities Space Research Association and manages SOFIA's education and public outreach program.

An infrared astronomer, Backman received his doctoral degree in astrophysics from the University of Hawaii. While Backman was a post-doctoral student at NASA's Ames Research Center, he flew on several research flights of SOFIA's predecessor, the Kuiper Airborne Observatory.

NASA's SOFIA aircraft arrived at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base on May 31. SOFIA will undergo installation and integration of mission systems and a multi-phase flight test program at Dryden in the next three years, which is expected to lead to an operational capability to conduct astronomy missions in approximately 2010.

During its expected 20-year lifetime, SOFIA will be capable of "Great Observatory"-class astronomical science, providing astronomers with access to the visible, infrared and submillimeter spectrum, with optimized performance in the mid-infrared to submillimeter range.

[SunkenCiv]

I think he used to star in “Backman’s World”. ;’)

Just arrived: Combo 747, telescope
Valley Press on | Monday, June 4, 2007.
Posted on 06/04/2007 2:53:11 PM EDT by BenLurkin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1844669/posts