SOFIA – A Telescope for Harsh Environments Lessons Learned for Dome C

SOFIA is a stratospheric observatory for far-infrared astronomy. Its 3 m-class telescope has been designed to operate throughout the optical and infrared waveband on board a Boeing 747SP at temperatures as low as –50 degree C and at elevations up to 41 000 feet. It conforms to a level of reliability and safety well above usual observatory standards. The main design characteristics of the telescope will be discussed in the context of the antarctic environment. Important features of the telescope technology are also applicable to remotely operated arctic telescopes.