SOFIA has been plagued with problems since its inception. Atmospheric turbulence being a major one.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220729.html
https://blogs.nasa.gov/sofia/2022/07/21/sofia-adjusts-science-planning-following-damage-to-aircraft/
https://blogs.nasa.gov/sofia/2022/07/19/sofia-down-for-maintenance-in-christchurch/

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is down for maintenance after being damaged by a storm that affected the area around Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand on Monday, July 18.

SOFIA is unable to continue normal operations until the repairs are complete

The SOFIA team has determined the needed repairs will take at least three weeks, eliminating the possibility of conducting the remaining science observation flights that were planned from New Zealand through August 7.

SOFIA arrived in New Zealand on June 18 and had a successful and productive month of science flights. Using two instruments, HAWC+ and GREAT, SOFIA observed and studied a wide range of celestial objects and phenomena, like cosmic magnetic fields, structure of the Milky Way, and the origin of cosmic rays.

Gotta be a bit difficult to find spares for those rattly old 747-SP’s.

Spiny Norman said:

Gotta be a bit difficult to find spares for those rattly old 747-SP’s.

I was on one of the last flights of QANTAS SPs in Australia.

Brisbane – Sydney. Originated in Singapore (i think), stopped BNE very early morning, and picked up BNE-SYD passengers.

One of the very few times i got to travel on a 747 upper deck.

What do you called a man with a telescope?

_Seymour