Astronomy / Space Arecibo Radio Telescope may have to be demolished.

insanephoton

insanephoton
Things are not looking good for this iconic astronomical instrument. One support cable pulled out of it's socket in August, in early November another cable snapped. The state of the remaining cables is not good. It may well be too dangerous to repair.
Here is a Scott Manley video with more detail.
 

Para Handy

Para Handy
insanephoton said:
Perhaps, but then again the reason it has fallen into such a state of disrepair is lack of funding.
Click to expand...
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As @AkenBosch pointed out - the main receiver platform has now broken away and plunged through the dish:

www.theguardian.com

Giant Arecibo radio telescope collapses in Puerto Rico

Scientists and Puerto Ricans mourn loss of historic observatory that had been set to close after damage in August
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com


www.upi.com

Iconic dome at Arecibo Observatory collapses - UPI.com

The iconic Arecibo Observatory radio telescope in Puerto Rico, the most powerful in the world, was destroyed Tuesday morning in an uncontrolled collapse.
www.upi.com www.upi.com


.. and from 20th Nov:

www.theguardian.com

US to shut down famed huge Arecibo space telescope in Puerto Rico jungle

The observatory has played a key part in space exploration – and a few movies – but two accidents have rendered the 305m-wide instrument unsafe
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

'An engineering firm hired by the University of Central Florida, which manages the observatory for NSF under a five-year $20m agreement, concluded in a report to the university last week “that if an additional main cable fails, a catastrophic collapse of the entire structure will soon follow”.

Citing safety concerns, the firm ruled out efforts to repair the observatory and recommended a controlled demolition.'

No doubt decent maintenance would have prevented all of this grief - penny-pinching bureaucrats that know the price of everything but the value of nothing.
 
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Robin of Spiritwood

Robin of Spiritwood
Alas, 2020.

If nobody was injured, at least that is a plus. This was featured in so many movies, in addition to the scientific contribution. Species, Contact, Goldeneye to name a few.

A rescue from the collapse would have made a fine Thunderbirds episode. This telrscope wasn't just an installation, it was a star.
 

insanephoton

insanephoton
It seems that an earthquake may have caused the final failure. Here is Scott Manley's first reaction.
And some drone footage of the extent of the damage

 
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