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We mentioned in August that a cable failure at the iconic Arecibo Observatory caused significant damage to the radio telescope’s dish. Unfortunately, a second cable to the radio observatory has failed and the famous 1000 foot diameter radio telescope will have to be demolished. An engineering company called Thorton Tomasetti has determined that the 900-tonne instrument’s radio antenna and platform are too unstable for repair.
Arecibo was once the largest single disc radio telescope in the world and has been in service for 57 years. The telescope receives funding from the US National Science Foundation and was operated by the University of Central Florida. He has appeared in films, including Contact and Goldeneye.
After the first support cable snapped and cut a 30-meter gap in the dish, the plan was to repair it. However, the second cable broke on November 6. The break of the second cable was unexpected because it was well below its expected break strength. Further inspections found that other main cables had broken wires and some auxiliary cables were slipping from their sockets.
The current plan is to dismantle the remaining components of the instrument and temporarily close other installations on the site. Equipment that could be damaged if telescope components fail catastrophically is moved. Once the demolition of the giant radio telescope is completed, the science and education centers will be restored.
There is no indication at this time that the telescope itself will be rebuilt. Scientists say the Arecibo Observatory transformed our understanding of the ionosphere and was used to search for life in the cosmos with the SETI program. The dismantling of the radio telescope is necessary to preserve the ability to use other assets at the observatory.
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