SOFIA Aircraft Dedicated
Published on May 21, 2007 at 1:16 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under airborne telescopes.
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The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) took to the air a month ago. Now, the aircraft carrying the telescope will be rededicated. This particular aircraft had been dedicated as “Clipper Lindbergh” in 1977 by Anne Lindbergh, Charles Lindbergh’s widow, when it began service for Pan American Airlines.  Now, Erik Lindbergh will rededicate the aircraft to his grandfather on the 80th anniversary of Charles Lindbergh’s historic solo trans-Atlantic flight, according to a NASA press release.  The rededication is this morning in Waco Texas at the Texas State Technical College’s airport.Â
I think that this is quite appropriate to rededicate the aircraft to Charles Lindbergh. SOFIA is a significant advance in airborne astronomy. Lindbergh’s solo trans-Atlantic flight was also a historic event. Neither is totally unique. There have been other trans-Atlantic flights, though there can only be one first solo one. And, SOFIA is not the first airborne observatory, though it is now the biggest and best. And, it is also quite interesting that NASA was able to acquire an aircraft that had previously been dedicated to Lindbergh. After all, what are the odds that a Boeing 747 that had been previously dedicated to an historic aviation pioneer would be retired from passenger service and become available for purchase just about the time that NASA had the money to purchase such an aircraft for the SOFIA project?
Pretty cool.
-Astroprof
jcollier on May 24, 2007 at 11:11 am: 1
I am actually disappointed that NASA would dedicate this aircraft to Lindbergh, given his Nazi sympathies. (Frankly, I believe that Lindbergh’s flight was a matter of time - if it had not been Lindbergh then someone else would have done it.)
Astroprof on May 24, 2007 at 2:05 pm: 2
I honestly doubt that anyone at NASA ever even looked at anything that Lindbergh did other than fly across the Atlantic. I didn\’t realize that he sympathized with the Nazis, either. And, you are right, his trip was inevitable. Someone would have eventually done it.