Arecibo

Oh dear. Not in for a repeat of Green Bank, I hope....



fine, a link then.

 

Wonder if it was the same architectural firm. Might wana take the business elsewhere. Tho greenbank was poor maintenance - architects need to allow access to critical structural areas for inspection.
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The first Green Bank dish was a "quick and dirty" design. As in "good, fast, cheap, pick any two." The budding field was impatient for a big instrument.

They did get 26 years of use from it.

 

Decommissioning :

The end is near for famed Arecibo Observatory's damaged telescope

NSF begins planning for decommissioning of Arecibo Observatory’s 305-meter telescope due to safety concerns

 

The number 300 seems to be unlucky for telescopes. Apparently doesn't matter if it's feet or meters.

 

IMHO:

1. Explosive disassembly - safety
2. Bulldozer removal of debris - cost effective
3. Replace with modern technology - Version 2.0 will be lighter, stronger, and better

There comes a time when earlier technology needs to be wiped clean and replaced.

Bob Wilson

 

"Controlled demolition, designed with a specific collapse sequence determined and implemented with the use of explosives, will reduce the uncertainty and danger associated with collapse."

It is already too unsafe to allow any humans on the towers or cables.

 

IMHO, a phase array receiver makes more sense:

1. larger focus array both latitude and longitude
2. increased resolution including multiple rotational resolution

Rebuilding the antenna array from scratch, especially using earth foundations, improve so many thing, it is a shame it wasn't blown up a decade ago.

Bob Wilson

 

I didn't have any problems keeping the observatory around, while it was still useful. Palomar was built in '28 and it's still a fairly nice instrument

.....just don't 'marry' the bloody thing. If the operational costs become prohibitive?
Cut bait and move on.

Love the logo.


Throwback to the original mission???

 

I'm surprised we haven't seen a press release noting the facility's pivot to gravitational research.

 

That's all good and fine, just let me at it so I can have one thing .... I want to use a lot more distilled water and the fresnel lens it undoubtedly has could be put to really really good use heating water.
birds flying through the focal point be damned

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Hey, it's a free lunch.

 

I'm trying to think of a good way to work in the "Sir, this is a lighthouse" joke, but not quite there yet.

 

I dun᠎no, that site says the Navy officially denied it, but the link they give to the official denial goes to a 404 page. They can't fool me.