SOFIA Optical Design for the Aft Configuration

Abstract

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a planned NASA facility consisting of an infrared telescope of 2.5 meter system aperture flying in a modified Boeing 747. It will have an image diameter of 1.5 arc seconds, an operating wavelength range from visible through 1 millimeter, an 8 arc minute field of view, and a chopping secondary. the configuration is a Cassegrian with a diagonal tertiary to direct the beam to a Nasmyth focus. The new choice of a location aft of the wings allows the primary mirror to have about an f/1.4 focal ratio, which is preferable to f/1.1 previously planned for the forward location.