Congress gives two months to NSF to provide report on Arecibo Observatory spacepolicyonline.com

“NSF is directed to report to the Committees within 60 days of enactment of this Act on the causes and extent of the damage, the plan to remove debris in a safe and environmentally sound way, the preservation of the associated AO facilities and surrounding areas, and the process for determining whether to establish comparable technology at the site, along with any associated cost estimates.”

Prior to the collapse, NSF had decided to decommission the observatory after engineers concluded it would be too dangerous to try to repair it.

“The significant loss caused by the collapse of the 305-meter radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, is devastating. During its 57 years in operation, the telescope was an integral part of U.S. capabilities to advance scientific research and served as an iconic, beloved site for the residents of Puerto Rico and the scientific community.”