Science
Aricebo’s Damage is so Serious and Dangerous, They’re Just Going to Scrap the Observatory Entirely – Universe Today
In the wake of a second structural failure, the NSF has announced that the iconic Arecibo Observatory will be decommissioned after 57 years of service.
This past summer, the Arecibo Observatory suffered major damage when an auxiliary cable that supports the platform above the telescope broke and struck the reflector dish. Immediately thereafter, technicians with the observatory and the University of Central Florida (UCF) began working to stabilize the structure and assess the damage. Unfortunately, about two weeks ago (on Nov. 6th), a second cable broke causing even more damage.
Following a thorough review, the U.S. National Science Foundation…
