January 14, 2008 9:20 PM PST
Sofia is a former Pan-Am Boeing 747 SP (special performance) passenger plane, one of only 45 made and that was named the Clipper Lindbergh, after Charles Lindbergh. Special performance meant that Pan-Am once flew a smaller number of passengers on longer-range flights, such as from the United States to Asia. In 2001, NASA gutted the plane and cut a 16-foot hole in its exterior to eventually place a 2.7-meter infrared telescope inside. Pictured here is a warts-and-all view into what was once the main-passenger cabin of the Clipper Lindbergh.
Photo by Stefanie Olsen/CNET News.com
