A Ride on NASA's Kuiper Arborne Observatory

Perhaps the high point of my work at the U of O was when I flew on NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO). Dr. Ira G. Nolt had designed a system to measure the water content of the atmosphere above the airplane. This was an experiment used to obtain information for proper calibration of the telescope on the airplane. I was asked to go on one flight and add programs to the on board computer for local analysis of the data.

It has changed greatly since I flew on it and is now retired. Because my hobby was photography, and I didn't have any scientific duties while flying, I took many pictures of the systems on the airplane. Here is a small sample of what I have:


© James S. Gibbons 1987-2015