Last flight of NASA Boeing 747SP

 

The curtain has fallen for NASA’s unique Boeing 747SP N747NA (MSN 21441). On 29 September 2022, the plane made its last flight ever for NASA, taking off and later returning to Palmdale Regional Airport (CA).

N747NA is sometimes referred to as ‘SOFIA’ as it is equipped with a 2.7-meter telescope. This telescope was used for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (or SOFIA for short).

With the success of the new James Webb Space Telescope and its fascinating views of outer space, NASA considers the Boeing 747SP to be redundant.

Its fate is currently unknown. Hopefully ‘SOFIA’ will be preserved in one of the US aviation museums as it represents an important period in the exploration of space.

Photo: NASA