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Article: RESEARCH ON RUNWAY: New star alliance; United Airlines is on board to fly airborne space scope.(Technology)(Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy telescope)(Statistical Data Included)
- Article from:
- Crain's Chicago Business
- Article date:
- September 9, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Crain Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: PAUL MERRION
United Airlines is getting ready to fly a time machine.
This novel cargo isn't something out of H. G. Wells, but a 38,000-pound, German-built telescope mounted in a Boeing 747, giving it an unobstructed view of the heavens-and the origins of the universe-from 41,000 feet.
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy-dubbed Sofia-promises to be an important new astronomy tool, on par with the Hubble Space Telescope in size, capability and scientific potential.
``The Hubble is a tough act for any mission to follow, but Sofia will garner its share of front-page news,'' says Steven Brody, Sofia program ...