NASA's flying telescope SOFIA down for maintenance after storm damage

NASA's flying telescope, 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, the agency said on Tuesday.

SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 2.7-meter (106-inch) reflecting telescope. The observatory travelled to Christchurch last month to better observe celestial objects in the Southern Hemisphere.

"During the severe weather event, high winds caused the stairs outside the aircraft to shift, causing light damage to the front of the aircraft, as well as the stairs themselves. The aircraft damage is being assessed, repair plans are moving forward, and new stairs are being delivered," NASA wrote in a blog post.

According to NASA, the flying telescope will be unable to continue normal operations until the repairs are complete and stairs are available. During the maintenance period, the mission team will reassess its science observation schedule.

For the unversed, SOFIA lands after each flight, so its instruments can be exchanged, serviced or upgraded to harness new technologies. The observatory completed its five-year prime mission in 2019 and currently is completing a three-year mission extension. The mission will end operations no later than September 30, 2022.