This story, however, is about a modified Lockheed C-141 Starlifter called the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO).

Kuiper, for its part, is investing in advanced technologies, such as optical inter-satellite links (OISL), which use infrared lasers to transmit data between satellites at speeds up to 100 Gbps.

The planned deconstruction, disposal, and preservation of historic parts of NASA's decommissioned Kuiper Airborne Observatory is complete. Part of the airborne astronomy legacy of NASA's Ames Research ...

Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites go into orbit, boosting rivalry with SpaceX’s Starlink network by Alan Boyle on April 28, 2025 at 6:00 pm Share 41 Tweet Share Reddit Email ...

A team of three astronomers was using NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory to observe the atmosphere of Uranus. They did this during a stellar occultation, which means that a background star was ...

Using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, they observed irregular starlight patterns, indicating Uranus' ring system. Voyager 2 later confirmed at least 13 rings.

Using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, a telescope aboard a high-altitude plane, the team studied stellar occultation. This occurs when a planet moves in front of a distant star, blocking its light.

On March 10, 1977, astronomers James Elliot, Edward Dunham, and Jessica Mink were conducting routine observations of Uranus when they stumbled upon an extraordinary finding. Using the Kuiper Airborne ...

The Kuiper Belt is a term used to describe a region of space located beyond the orbit of Neptune and believed to be filled with the remnants of our solar system's planetary building blocks.

That program, designated the SOFIA Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors (AAA), included a STEM immersion experience with SOFIA staff and the observatory, plus subsequent education and outreach commitments.

It would be NASA’s successor to its flying telescope, the Kuiper Airborne Observatory or KAO: an infrared telescope mounted in a Lockheed C-141A.