It is expected to begin flying in the year 2001 and is expected to have an operating lifetime of 20 years or more.
Aircraft are particularly well-suited for infrared astronomy.
Because much infrared radiation is absorbed by atmospheric water vapor, ground-based observations are limited to certain wavelength bands. The cost of operating an airborne telescope is much lower than that of a satellite, and its expected lifetime is much longer. In addition, instruments and other technologies can be easily upgraded. Many astronomical objects emit infrared radiation through a multitude of rich and varied physical processes, revealing astronomical phenomena occurring in otherwise hidden regions of the cosmos. Previous ground-based, satellite, and airborne infrared observatories have explored this region of the spectrum.