Reconstruction of the Arecibo Observatory could cost $ 400 million

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Saint John – The reconstruction of the radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico would cost $ 400 million, estimated on Tuesday Gerardo Morell, director of the Puerto Rico Nasa Space Grant, an organization that helps develop local scientific and technological workforce in areas of interest at NASA.

Morell’s calculation comes a day after Governor Wanda Vazquez allocated $ 8 million to cover the removal and disposal of the rubble and the design of a new radio telescope.

“Precisely the 8 million is for design. It’s a more accurate cost estimate than I can give you. But as a good physicist, the approximate calculations are that the number fluctuates at $ 400 million,” Morell said in an interview with the radio station Illa 1320.

According to Morell, there are talks between the director of the Observatory and the incoming administration of the governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia, with the intention of rebuilding the radio telescope, which collapsed on January 1. December after 57 years of operation.

“I am aware that there are talks between the director of the Observatory and the incoming administration, which have not yet been specified in detail, but it is already intended to meet in the near future,” he said. Morell.

Through an executive order, the governor also declared to establish as a public policy the reconstruction of the observatory.

“The Government of Puerto Rico is convinced that the collapse of the radio telescope brings a great opportunity to redesign it, taking into account the lessons learned and the recommendations of the scientific community to make it relevant for decades,” Vázquez said Monday.

In turn, he recalled that over 57 years, this facility of “world prestige functioned as a research facility with the capacity for scientific discoveries and contributions to national security, scientific research, the education, in addition to the tourist attraction “.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) owns the Arecibo Observatory, located in the north of the island.

The governor of Puerto Rico insisted on her desire for this place to remain of tourist interest — It was visited annually by more than 100,000 tourists and scientists.

The radio telescope collapsed on December 1.

  • The Arecibo Observatory is one of Puerto Rico’s architectural wonders with high value to the local and international scientific community.

    The Arecibo Observatory is one of Puerto Rico’s architectural wonders with high value to the local and international scientific community. (GFR Average)

  • This research center was the epicenter of important scientific discoveries from opening its doors on November 1, 1963 to the present.

    This research center was the epicenter of important scientific discoveries from opening its doors on November 1, 1963 to the present. (GFR Average)

  • Until 2016, it was the world’s largest fixed-aperture radio telescope with a 1,000-foot spherical reflector.

    Until 2016, it was the world’s largest fixed-aperture radio telescope with a 1,000-foot spherical reflector. (GFR Average)

  • The Arecibo Observatory was used for astronomy using radio and radar frequencies, as well as to study the Earth's atmosphere.

    The Arecibo Observatory was used for astronomy using radio and radar frequencies, as well as to study the Earth’s atmosphere. (GFR Average)

  • Construction of the Arecibo Observatory began in the mid-1960s under the supervision of Professor William I. Gordon of Cornell University.

    Construction of the Arecibo Observatory began in the mid-1960s under the supervision of Professor William I. Gordon of Cornell University. (Jorge Ramirez Portela)

  • The radio telescope is currently administered by the Central University of Florida (UCF), the Cupey campus of Ana G. Méndez University.

    The radio telescope is currently administered by the Central University of Florida (UCF), the Cupey campus of Ana G. Méndez University. (GFR Average)

  • Among other things, the Arecibo Observatory is known for hosting studies of the SETI program, which analyzes radio signals in search of intelligent life in space.

    Among other things, the Arecibo Observatory is known for hosting studies of the SETI program, which analyzes radio signals in search of intelligent life in space. (GFR Average)

  • In 1974 the radio telescope was used to send the

    In 1974 the radio telescope was used to send the “Arecibo Message,” a binary transmission to the globular group Messier 13, about 25,000 light-years from Earth. (Jorge Ramirez Portela)

  • It was also a key piece in the film

    He was also a key player in the 1997 film “Contact,” starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey. (GFR Average)

  • Meanwhile, in 1995 the radio telescope was the scene of James Bond's final confrontation in the film

    Meanwhile, in 1995 the radio telescope was the scene of James Bond’s final confrontation in the film “GoldenEye”, and in 2010 a scene from the 2010 feature film, “The Losers”, was recorded in Gregorian Dom. (GFR Average)

  • In 1981, the Observatory produced the first radar maps of the surface of Venus, and in 1982 it was used to discover the first pulsar of a millisecond, a second class of pulsar, the PSR 1937 + 21.

    In 1981, the Observatory produced the first radar maps of the surface of Venus, and in 1982 it was used to discover the first pulsar of a millisecond, a second class of pulsar, the PSR 1937 + 21. (GFR Average)

  • In 1992, scientists used the radio telescope to reveal, for the first time, the existence of ice at the north and south poles of Mercury, and that same year researchers discovered the first exoplanet.

    In 1992, scientists used the radio telescope to reveal, for the first time, the existence of ice at the north and south poles of Mercury, and that same year researchers discovered the first exoplanet. (GFR Average)

  • Subsequently, the existence of an entire planetary system around the pulsar PSR 1257 + 12 was revealed.

    Subsequently, the existence of an entire planetary system around the pulsar PSR 1257 + 12 was revealed. (GFR Average)

  • In 2017, the Arecibo Observatory found two pulsars with the capacity of

    In 2017, the Arecibo Observatory found two pulsars with the ability to “disappear” for long periods of time. (GFR Average)

  • In August 2020, a support cable caused damage to the Arecibo Observatory plate, so all observation and scientific research tasks were stopped.

    In August 2020, a support cable caused damage to the Arecibo Observatory plate, so all observation and scientific research tasks were stopped. (GFR Average)

  • The cable created a crack nearly 100 feet long in a section of the Arecibo Observatory dish.

    The cable created a crack nearly 100 feet long in a section of the Arecibo Observatory dish.

  • The cable that was broken was an 18 that supported the nearly 900 tons of weight of the receiving and transmitting module suspended over the reflector.

    The cable that was broken was an 18 that supported the nearly 900 tons of weight of the receiving and transmitting module suspended over the reflector. (GFR Average)

  • Subsequently, in November 2020 another support cable broke and caused damage to the structure plate. Both incidents caused the structure to be at risk of collapse

    Subsequently, in November 2020 another support cable broke and caused damage to the structure plate. Both incidents caused the structure to be at risk of collapse (GFR Average)

  • After several studies by engineers, the National Science Foundation decided to close completely to carry out a partial demolition of the structure.

    After several studies by engineers, the National Science Foundation decided to close completely to carry out a partial demolition of the structure. (GFR Average)

  • Despite their demolition, they would seek to explore possibilities to expand learning center’s educational capabilities.

    Despite their demolition, they would seek to explore possibilities to expand learning center’s educational capabilities. (GFR Average)

The platform of the radio telescope collapsed due to structural failures that it had been dragging for months and that led the NSF to recently announce its dismantling.

The structure weighed 900 tons and a reflective plate a thousand feet wide (about 305 meters).

The first of the errors occurred in August when one of the cables was broken, which was aggravated on November 6 by cracking a second being extremely weak.

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