Manufacturing and integration of the SOFIA suspension assembly

The Suspension Assembly is the most complex mechanical subsystem of the SOFIA telescope, responsible for suspending and positioning the telescope in the aircraft on the sky. It is a highly integrated system comprising of a vibration isolating system, a spherical hydraulic bearing, a spherical torque motor, a coarse drive and airworthiness relevant components like brakes, hard-stops etc. The components were manufactured under airworthiness standards by dedicated suppliers and integrated and commissioned in 2001/2002 at MAN Technologie in Augsburg. The paper describes the experience gotten during the manufacturing and integration process.