Famed Arecibo Radio Telescope to be Decommissioned After Cable Failures

Engineers have concluded Arecibo Observatory cannot be safely repaired after the failure of two cables.

By Mark Zastrow
Nov 19, 2020 6:10 PMNov 19, 2020 7:08 PM
areciboshot (1)
Both cables that have failed were anchored to the facility’s southeast observing tower (at left). This image, taken the day after the main cable break, shows additional damage to the reflector dish, enlarging the gash left by the previous auxiliary cable failure. (Credit: University of Central Florida/Arecibo Observatory)

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After fifty-seven years of cutting-edge research, the iconic Arecibo radio telescope has reached the end of the road.

Due to two cable failures in the past three months, outside engineering firms have concluded the telescope cannot be repaired — at least, not without risking the total collapse of the 900-ton receiving platform onto the dish below, the lives of workers, and further damage to existing buildings onsite.

As a result, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), which owns the facility, has decided to decommission Arecibo, the organization announced today.

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