Why is the Arecibo telescope being demolished?

The decision comes after NSF evaluated multiple assessments by independent engineering companies that found the telescope structure is in danger of a catastrophic failure and its cables may no longer be capable of carrying the loads they were designed to support.

What happened to the giant telescope in Puerto Rico?

Instrument platform crashed into the telescope’s dish, irrevocably ending the facility’s role in astronomy. The iconic radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has collapsed, leaving astronomers and the Puerto Rican scientific community to mourn its demise.

Why wasnt the Arecibo telescope repaired?

The agency decided not to attempt repairs to the telescope after cables broke in August and early November because engineering firms concluded that it would be unsafe for crews to perform the repair work.

When did the Arecibo telescope collapse?

In theory, Congress could choose to set aside extra funds for a pet project, as happened after the 90-meter telescope at Green Bank Observatory collapsed in 1988.

What happened to the Arecibo?

It suffered a broken line feed that fell from the instrument platform and crashed through the dish, among other damage. More consequential than hurricanes, though, Arecibo was slowly losing its funding. The National Science Foundation had been trying for years to divert Arecibo funds to newer projects.

What is the status of the Arecibo telescope?

New satellite image reveals the damage that shut down the facility, ending an era in astronomical observation. One of astronomy’s most renowned telescopes — the 305-metre-wide radio telescope at Arecibo, Puerto Rico — is closing permanently.

Is the Arecibo Observatory destroyed?

The iconic Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has been destroyed after a 900 tonne metal platform suspended above the telescope collapsed around 8 a.m. local time today.

Why was the radio telescope destroyed?

Around 8 a.m. on December 1, a 900-ton instrument platform that was suspended above the large, light-gathering dish collapsed. It destroyed the telescope’s large dish. The earlier cable losses caused so much damage, however, that the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced its telescope could not be saved.

Why can’t Arecibo be rebuilt?

Scientists doubt that document can support a rebuilding effort at Arecibo because the telescope collapsed after the committee’s deadline for community input. “Nobody expected that big money might be needed for a rebuilding,” Rankin said.

What makes the telescope at the Arecibo Observatory important?

The giant size of the reflector is what makes the Arecibo Observatory so special to scientists. It is the largest curved focusing antenna on the planet, which means it is the world’s most sensitive radio telescope.

When did Arecibo telescope collapse?

Dec. 1, 2020
By mid-November, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), which owns the site, decided that the telescope was too unstable to be repaired — but before the agency could demolish it, gravity did the job. On Dec. 1, 2020, the platform fell, smashing through the delicate dish.