L3Harris Technologies Integrated Systems L.P. was awarded a $61.79M cost-plus award-fee definitive contract by NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center on February 9, 2007, to support the refurbishment, modification, integration, testing, and verification of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) airborne system through airworthiness flight testing and certification. The contract encompasses the complete overhaul and preparation of a Boeing 747-SP aircraft (Serial Number 21441) at the contractor's Waco, Texas facility, including inspections, reconditioning, maintenance, and modifications in accordance with NASA airworthiness standards equivalent to FAA FAR Part 25 certification requirements. L3Harris is responsible for identifying unsuitable systems or parts on government-furnished equipment, replacing or repairing them as needed, completing approved changes from the previous contract (NAS2-97001), and ensuring the aircraft complies with NASA-approved airworthiness directives and service bulletins. The contractor must also conduct major maintenance and overhaul inspections per NASA, FAA, and aircraft industry standards for aging passenger aircraft, maintain the aircraft through ferry flights to NASA, and support development of a NASA-approved maintenance plan for the aircraft's expected 20-year operational service life. No set-aside designation was used for this award, which was ultimately completed by February 28, 2015.
SOFIA is a joint NASA and German Aerospace Center (DLR) airborne observatory featuring a 2.5-meter infrared telescope mounted on the 747-SP, designed to operate at a ceiling of 45,000 feet and conduct infrared and sub-millimeter astronomical observations from an open cavity in the aircraft's fuselage. L3Harris' work under this contract was executed in coordination with the telescope assembly contractor, the science and mission operations contractor, and NASA to plan and execute the airborne system integration and test effort. The contract's location of performance was Edwards Air Force Base, California, where the aircraft would undergo flight testing and certification activities to enable SOFIA to become the world's largest and most sensitive airborne observatory upon full operational deployment.