EXES
:
Echelon-Cross-Echelle Spectrograph
FIFI-LS
:
Field Imaging Far-Infrared Line Spectrometer
FORCAST
:
Faint Object InfraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope
FPI+
:
Focal Plane Imager
GREAT
:
German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies
HAWC+
:
High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera
Information on the SOFIA instruments may be found on their respective instrument overview pages (see links above, which also include each instrument's primary technical references), the Observer's Handbook (primary technical resource for proposal submission), Quick Guide (brief booklet with an overview of each instrument and science examples), previously presented Science Posters , and slides from past workshops .
Supplementary Instruments
GUIDERS
:
Guider cameras
WV MONITOR
:
Water Vapor Monitor
There were three classes of science instruments: Facility-class, Principal Investigator-class and Special Purpose Principal Investigator-class Science Instruments (FSIs, PSIs and SSIs).
FSIs were operated and maintained by the SOFIA Science Mission Operations (SMO). There was a designated Instrument Scientist on the SMO staff for each FSI who supported proposers wishing to use the instrument.
PSIs were developed and maintained at the Principal Investigator's (PI's) institution. The instruments were operated by the PSI Science Team members. However, there were typically SOFIA SMO staff designated to provide additional support.
An SSI was designed for a specific type of observation, and therefore with narrower scope than either FSIs or PSIs.
EXES, FIFI-LS, FORCAST, FPI+, and HAWC+ were FSIs, GREAT was a PSI. Additional information may be found on the web pages for each instrument.
Three first-generation instruments, CASIMIR , SAFIRE , and AIRES were selected for SOFIA, but were halted at different stages of development. FLITECAM and HIPO were retired in 2018.