NASA used a Boeing 747 rigged with a massive telescope to discover water on the moon — take a look at SOFIA
- Data from NASA's flying observatory, nicknamed "SOFIA," was responsible for finding molecular water (H2O) on the moon.
- Housed inside the former Pan Am and United Airlines Boeing 747 is a far-infrared telescope that can detect star formations, distant galaxies, and the formation of new solar systems.
- The discovery is among the most consequential the jet has made in over 100 flights and a decade of service.
NASA just discovered molecular water on the moon, and humans didn't even need to be there to find it.
Scientists on Monday announced the finding of frozen H20 on the moon with data acquired from NASA's flying observatory, a heavily-modified Boeing 747SP. The Jumbo Jet comes equipped with a 2.7-meter far-infrared telescope capable of peering deep into space and seeing with infrared what cannot be seen with visible light.
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA for short, can be found flying around in the darkest hours of the night with its telescope pointed to the stars. Soaring as high as 45,000 feet on some missions, the telescope enjoys fewer obstructions than its counterparts on the ground.
The discovery is a major milestone for NASA's Artemis mission that will see humans return to the moon by 2024 and eventually Mars. Previously untouched planets in the final frontier will soon be welcoming their first humans if the program is successful.
The Boeing 747 is also proving to be a veritable jack of all trades and master of many. While airlines are finding they no longer have a purpose for the jet, it has found a second life in the cargo realm, as the world's largest private jet, and now, as a scientist.
Take a closer look at SOFIA, the Boeing 747 that just found water on the moon.
Meet SOFIA, short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, one of many aircraft that NASA employs for research missions.
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