SOFIA general investigator science program

SOFIA is a joint project between NASA and DLR, the German Aerospace Center, to provide the worldwide astronomical community with an observatory that offers unique capabilities from visible to far-infrared wavelengths. SOFIA consists of a 2.7-m telescope mounted in a highly modified Boeing 747-SP aircraft, a suite of instruments, and the scientific and operational infrastructure to support the observing program. This paper describes the current status of the observatory and details the General Investigator program. The observatory has recently completed major development activities, and it has transitioned into full operational status. Under the General Investigator program, astronomers submit proposals that are peer reviewed for observation on the facility. We describe the results from the first two cycles of the General Investigator program. We also describe some of the new observational capabilities that will be available for Cycle 3, which will begin in 2015.