Media Portal

Images | B-Roll | Optical Path | Public Engagement Materials | General Information Fact Sheets | Science Fact Sheets | History Articles | Print Your Own 3D SOFIA Model

SOFIA Images

Scientific Observation Images
Look here for SOFIA's latest scientific images. You'll find captions and photo credits, and both labeled and unlabeled images in a couple of different resolutions. If you have any questions, please contact us .

SOFIA Observatory Images
Photos of the SOFIA airborne observatory in flight as well as instrument and christening photos are located here.

SOFIA and the Infrared Universe Gallery
SOFIA and the Infrared Universe is a collection of visually striking and scientifically impactful images of SOFIA science, some from actual data and some artist's impressions by Bay Area artist Lynette Cook. The gallery is located at NASA Ames Research Center, Building 232. Download the gallery exhibition catalog.

SOFIA Shareables
Infographics about SOFIA

SOFIA Virtual Backgrounds
SOFIA virtual backgrounds, suitable for online meetings or desktop wallpaper.

NASA SOFIA Mission Pages and multimedia gallery

Historic SOFIA wind tunnel testing photos
— search SOFIA and narrow by year 1994

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SOFIA B-Roll

SOFIA 3D Overview Animation without text (242 MB)
SOFIA 3D Overview Animation with text (263 MB)

SOFIA 3D Telescope Animation without text (141 MB)
SOFIA 3D Telescope Animation with text (138 MB)

SOFIA b-roll web preview (61.5 MB)
SOFIA b-roll for media distribution with 1920x1080 resolution and encoded with the ProRes codec (2.6 GB)

SOFIA Twilight air-to-air, door opening

• Twilight air-to-air web preview (6.7 MB)
• Twilight air-to-air file for media distribution with 1920x1080 resolution and encoded with the ProRes codec (4.92 GB)

SOFIA New Zealand 2013 Deployment video

• SOFIA arrival 1 low-res (17.3 MB)
• SOFIA arrival 1 high-res (90.4 MB)
• SOFIA arrival 2 low-res (9.5 MB)
• SOFIA arrival 2 high-res (74.7 MB)
• SOFIA VIP Tour low-res (22.2 MB)
• SOFIA VIP Tour high-res (207 MB)

SOFIA Takeoff (2.79 GB)

SOFIA Landing (947 MB)

SOFIA Landing Cockpit Time Lapse (89 MB)

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SOFIA Optical Path

• Powerpoint Animation
• Animation Narration

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Public Engagement Materials

• Outreach and Public Engagement Support Materials
• Exploring Invisible Light Activity
• The Electromagnetic Spectrum
• SOFIA Literature and Promotional Materials
• SOFIA Public Engagement Presentations

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Fact Sheets/Brochures

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SOFIA History Articles

• Reuse, Recycle: SOFIA Obtains Spare Parts from Government Surplus 747s by Nicholas A. Veronico
• Flying Telescopes , "Mercury Magazine" by Sally Stephens
• Milestones in Airborne Astronomy From the 1920s to the Present by Wendy Whiting Dolci
• NASA's New Airborne Observatory Sees "First Light" , "Mercury Magazine" by Nicholas A. Veronico

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Print Your Own 3D SOFIA Model

Now you can print your own 3D model of SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. With the help of the staff of the NASA Ames SpaceShop Rapid Prototyping Facility, the SOFIA mission team created an eight-piece, 3D-printable model of the modified 747SP aircraft, its telescope and cabin.

The printable files are at a 1/200 scale, with a removable upper fuselage section to reveal interior details, including the flying mission control center in the cabin, interchangeable science instruments and both open- and closed-telescope door configurations. The model has been simplified for durability and printing where needed.

Details, printing instructions and files are available here .