SOFIA First Generation Science Instruments

SOFIA will provide 0.3- 1600 pm wavelength coverage, excellent FIR/submm angular resolution, a variety of focal plane instruments, and access to them throughout a 20-year lifetime. These attributes assure SOFIA a vital role in future observations of the interstellar medium, and in numerous other studies. SOFIA is a joint program of NASA in the U.S. and DLR in Germany. Observing time will be arranged by annual peer review of proposals, with roughly 80 percent of the time granted by the U.S. and 20 percent of the time granted by Germany. International proposals may be submitted to either time allocation committee. SOFIA is expected to begin science flights in 2005.