NEWS ITEM
NSF begins planning for decommissioning of Arecibo Observatory’s 305-meter telescope
T
he National Science Foundation (NSF) has provided a report to Congress, as required by the report language accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, describing “the causes and extent of the damage, the plan to remove debris in a safe and environmentally sound way, the preservation of the associated AO facilities and surrounding areas, and the process for determining whether to establish comparable technology at the site, along with any associated cost estimates.” The investigation of the collapse and exploration of future opportunities for Arecibo is ongoing. The report is available at https://www.nsf.gov/news/reports/AreciboReportFINALProtected_508.pdf. A series of catastrophic events occurred at Arecibo in November 2020 that culminated in breakages to the supporting cables and the collapse of the 900-ton science platform suspended over the telescope's 305-meter aluminum dish. The famous radio telescope had survived hurricanes and earthquakes, but had become unstable as supporting cables and wires failed and snapped. The platform and the dome crashed into the reflective dish in the early morning of December 1. Arecibo was the largest fixed aperture telescope in the world. In 2016, China’s FAST telescope came online.
Arecibo Observatory prior to the collapse.
54
SPRING 2021 PROCEEDINGS | www.radioclubofamerica.org
Debates continued over which telescope had better sensitivity and performance under the definitions of “fixed aperture” and regarding other distinctions and capabilities. But for 57 years, Arecibo contributed to many important discoveries across many disciplines, including radar and radio astronomy, atmospheric science, and planetary science. Just a few highlights include: • determining Mercury’s rotation of 59 days • preparing lunar radar maps used to determine a landing site for the Apollo 11 mission • mapping landing sites for the Mars Viking program • sending the “Arecibo Message” radio signals into space for alien detection • discovering the first binary pulsar that verified predictions from Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity • generating the first radar maps of Venus’ surface • discovering the first exoplanets outside our Solar System, rotating around a pulsar • detecting ice on the polar regions of Mercury • participating in planetary defense by tracking asteroids
