Building 703The Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., a satellite facility of NASA's Dryden Fight Research Center, is home to...NASA's SOFIA infrared observatory 747SP is shadowed by a NASA F/A-18 during a flyby at its new home, the Dryden...NASA Dryden acting director David McBride addresses those attending the dedication ceremonies for the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale,...The Palmdale High School Chamber Singers and their conductor, Mike McCullough (far right), gathered around U.S. Rep. Howard P. McKeon...The SOFIA observatory 747 drew lots of visitors following the dedication ceremonies at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale,...Several Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility staff who were instrumental in bringing the facility up to operational status posed together following...Unique metal structures fabricated by sheet metal shop technicians to support a variety of science experiments were on display during...Family members of NASA Dryden employees had fun "flying" a flight simulator following dedication ceremonies at the Dryden Aircraft Operations...Dryden facilities engineer Dan Mullen, his wife April and sons John and James wait their turn to look inside the...Those attending the dedication of the NASA Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, CA, had the opportunity to tour the...Reminiscent of the old "Burma Shave" signs that once dotted America's highways, a sequential series of signs welcomed visitors to...Steve Volz, associate director for flight programs at NASA's Science Mission Directorate, detailed how NASA's specialized science aircraft are critical...Dignitaries who participated in the dedication of the NASA Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., included (from left), Mayor...The Palmdale High School concert band plays during prior to the formal dedication ceremonies at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility...State assemblyman Steve Knight of California's 36th district was among elected officials presenting comments at the dedication of NASA's Dryden...Congressman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon of California's 25th district said the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., will provide...The Palmdale High School Chamber Singers under the direction of Mike McCullough serenaded attendees at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility...James C. Ledford Jr., mayor of the City of Palmdale, brought welcoming comments at the dedication of NASA's Dryden Aircraft...Among dignitaries presenting comments at the dedication of NASA's Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., on April 9, 2009...Several NASA aircraft, including the SOFIA observatory in the foreground, the DC-8 airborne laboratory, an ER-2 high-altitude science aircraft and...Several NASA science aircraft, including (from bottom) the SOFIA observatory, the DC-8 airborne laboratory and an ER-2 high-altitude aircraft, along...James Ledford, mayor of the City of Palmdale, Calif., (left) presents a resolution of commendation to Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility...Norm Hickling, area representative for Los Angeles County fifth district supervisor Michael Antonovich, brought greetings during ceremonies dedicating NASA's Dryden...Several NASA science aircraft, including (from bottom) the SOFIA observatory, the DC-8 airborne laboratory and an ER-2 high-altitude aircraft, along...SOFIA's primary mirror assembly is lifted above wing level prior to its reinstallation in the telescope cavity of NASA's 747...A technician guides SOFIA's primary mirror assembly into the aircraft's telescope cavity completing the mirror reinstallation following its initial coating.Safely protected in its shipping crate, the telescope mirror assembly for NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, is...NASA's familiar blue-and-white logo graces Hangar 703 at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., identifying it as a...Two large science aircraft, a DC-8 flying laboratory and the SOFIA 747SP, are based at NASA's Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility...Nestled in its cradle on a transport dolly, SOFIA's primary mirror assembly awaits transfer to a "clean room" at the...The cavernous expanse of the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., now houses NASA's DC-8 science laboratory and SOFIA...Technicians carefully attached a spreader T-bar to the framework of SOFIA's primary mirror assembly prior to lifting it from the...Technicians with ropes guide SOFIA's primary mirror assembly suspended from a crane toward its transport dolly after the mirror's removal...NASA'S SOFIA infrared observatory 747SP (front) and DC-8 flying laboratory (rear) are now housed at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility...NASA's DC-8 flying science laboratory is ready for departure on the ARCTAS atmospheric sampling mission in April 2008 at the...A delegation from the City of Palmdale, Calif., led by Mayor James Ledford (fourth from left) was briefed by Dryden...Light from the hangar illuminates the aircraft ramp at NASA's Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., as the telescope...NASA's SOFIA flying observatory undergoes nighttime characterization testing of its infrared telescope at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale,...Technicians guide the dolly carrying SOFIA's primary mirror into a clean room at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility prior to...Technicians at NASA's Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., loaded the German-built primary mirror assembly of the Stratospheric Observatory...