EDWARDS AFB, Calif. – 16 Nov 10
Biola University Student Seeks the Secret to Creation
By: Heather L. Ogletree
The age-old question of how the universe came to be has sparked debate for centuries. The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, is collecting data that may begin to answer many of the underlying fundamental questions behind the mystery that is creation, presenting a fresh perspective on the formation of planets and of the building blocks of life.
SOFIA is the world’s largest airborne astronomical observatory that consists of a 2.5 meter infrared telescope aboard a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft. Modifications to the 747 included cutting a 16-foot tall opening in the aft fuselage and adding a sliding door to allow the 17 ton infrared telescope to examine the skies.
Julianna Plumb, an intern with the NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program, participated in a 10 week internship at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center where she worked with USRP Mentor Stephen Cumming on a project entitled “SOFIA Flight Preparation and Data Analysis.”
It was part of Plumb’s project to analyze flight data from SOFIA test flights in comparison to an unmodified Boeing 747 in order to determine whether or not SOFIA was safe to fly.
“The fact that there was a large hole exposing a very large cavity in such a large aircraft (747SP) and that it still flew about the same as an unmodified aircraft, was astonishing to me,” remarked Plumb. “In the future SOFIA plans to take students and teachers on board and thus the safety factor must be increased.”
Since it captures images at altitudes of 39,000 to 45,000 feet, which places it above 99 percent of the Earth’s water vapor, SOFIA is able to record measurements that ground observatories cannot.
SOFIA is powerful enough to record the birth of distant stars and planets, which can, in turn, help scientists determine how they are formed. Through infrared technology, SOFIA captures images with both long and short infrared waves. The long waves display dust clouds containing young stars and possibly planets, and the short waves break through the clouds to show the stars in the process of being born. SOFIA also may determine how organic materials form and evolve and the nature of the Milky Way’s black hole.
“SOFIA is going to lead to discoveries about the chemical makeup of our galaxy and maybe even lead to new perspective on how our universe came about,” noted Plumb.
Both the Universities Space Research Association and DLR Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- and Raumfahrt (German Aerospace Center) have joined forces to manage SOFIA's science and mission operations.
Plumb stated, “Knowing that the project I was working on was part of a larger, partnered project that would last for many years to come was always exciting.”
Plumb is currently working an engineering physics degree through Biola University and plans on obtaining a second degree in aerospace engineering. This is the third internship experience for Plumb; her first two were through NASA’s Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience.
“After graduation I am planning on working for NASA in some capacity, hopefully at Dryden because I have enjoyed all three summers that I have worked there and absolutely love the Dryden family,” said Plumb.
Cummings remarked, “It was great having Julianna working with us over the summer. She provided valuable assistance in helping us analyze flight data, allowing us to continue flight testing the SOFIA airplane.”
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For more information about SOFIA, please visit the SOFIA Science Center at http://www.sofia.usra.edu/.
NASA SOFIA website: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA/index.html