EDWARDS, Calif., April 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Media are invited to a behind-the-scenes tour and briefing of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, SOFIA, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703 in Palmdale, California. The event takes place on April 24, 2019, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. PDT.

Media participants should plan to meet at the Visitor Control Center trailer located at the front of Building 703 at 8:30 a.m. for the event. The building address is 2825 E Ave P, Palmdale, CA 93550.

The event will give journalists and social media users the chance to not only see the inside of the world’s largest flying observatory, but also meet team members and scientists doing cutting-edge research. It will include the opportunity to:

• See SOFIA — a 106-inch telescope, mounted on a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft, to study the solar system and beyond like no other telescope can.
• Get up close with other aircraft that NASA uses research planes to study our home planet.
• Meet with experts who fly on these aircraft.
• Tour hangar and facilities
• View and take photographs of other aircraft in the hangar including the ER-2 and C-20A.
• Meet fellow aviation and astronomy enthusiasts who are active on social media.

Media that are unable to attend the event in-person can follow the event on the @NASAArmstrong, @SOFIATelescope or @NASASocial Twitter accounts.

Domestic media representatives interested in participating in the event should confirm their plans to attend by contacting the NASA Armstrong Public Affairs office no later than 12 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at 661-276-2020, or email Kate Squires at kate.k.squires@nasa.gov. Foreign national journalists cannot be accommodated for this event.

For more information about SOFIA, visit:

www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA

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SOURCE NASA