Image: SOFIA inside Lufthansa Technik hangar

NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is shown inside the Lufthansa Technik hangar in Hamburg, Germany where it is beginning its decadal inspection.

Flight, aircraft maintenance and science personnel from NASA's Armstrong and Ames research centers are working alongside Lufthansa's 747SP specialists to perform a wide range of inspections and major maintenance over the next few months, while specialists from the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) will perform upgrades to the flying observatory's infrared telescope.