Related: The Arecibo Observatory: Puerto Rico's giant radio telescope in photos, "That particular situation was evaluated by the engineering team and determined not to be an issue because the capacity of that cable was so much higher than the load that it was taking, that it really shouldn't have been a problem," Cordova said. This will allow the observatory to serve as a hub for research and education in the future. The observatory's helipad and well water were vital resources for those living near the facility. Arecibo Observatory telescope, a Puerto Rico landmark, collapses after damage After sustaining severe damage from a broken cable, the famed Arecibo Observatory telescope in Puerto Rico has collapsed. In addition, several assessments stated that any attempt to make repairs could put the lives of workers in danger. After the break on November 6, engineers inspected the rest of the cables and discovered new breaks as well as slippage from some of the sockets on the towers. (CNN)After decades of aiding astronomical discoveries, one of the most powerful telescopes on Earth will cease its observation of the universe after sustaining irreparable damage. Observations made by the telescope helped discover the first binary pulsar in 1974 (which led to the 1993 Nobel Prize in physics), supported NASA's Viking mission, produced the first radar maps of Venus' surface and spotted the first exoplanet in 1992. You will receive a verification email shortly. "I'm very much keeping all my fingers crossed that they will figure out how to stabilize the structure and get it repaired. After this undertaking is complete, the NSF plans to focus on restoring operations at the observatory. "For nearly six decades, the Arecibo Observatory has served as a beacon for breakthrough science and what a partnership with a community can look like. They determined that the telescope could collapse because it is "in danger of catastrophic failure" and the cables are weaker than expected. Photos of the damage make it seem particularly nasty, but Arecibo’s main reflector dish is comprised of 40,000 panels — making the overall destruction very small. The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has been damaged by a broken cable. This photo shows damage caused to Arecibo Observatory in August. Scientists have used it to confirm that pulsars are superdense neutron stars, to discover the first planets beyond our solar system and to broadcast a message out into the cosmos in hopes of reaching intelligent alien life. Fortunately, archival data from the telescope will be migrated to servers outside of the danger zone, continuing the tradition of research and discovery by the telescope for years to come. "We believe the structure will collapse in the near future if left untouched," according to a letter by engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti. In 2014, a strong earthquake damaged parts of the facility, including a cable that the facility's managers were hoping to replace later this year. Multiple engineering companies reviewed the damage. At risk is not just the observatory's half-century history of research spanning astronomy, atmospheric studies, near-Earth asteroids and the search for life beyond Earth. I am so worried about it. Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels. And that is a line we cannot cross," said Ralph Gaume, director of NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences, in a statement. Engineers were assessing and working on a plan to repair the damage when another main cable on the tower broke on November 6. ", "It's a precarious situation," he added, "and we just kind of have to wait and see.". The Arecibo Observatory, also known as the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC), is an observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico owned by the US National Science Foundation (NSF).. More concerning, scientists say, is the possibility of losing a unique facility with plenty of work left to do. Please refresh the page and try again. This aerial view shows the damage at the Arecibo Observatory after one of the main cables holding the receiver broke in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, on December 1, 2020. For more than 50 years, the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico was home to the world's biggest single-aperture telescope. This year, throughout January, a series of earthquakes, the strongest a 6.4 temblor, rocked Puerto Rico and the facility closed for inspection. Damage sustained at the Arecibo Observatory 305-meter telescope. What's sending mysterious repeating fast radio bursts in space? (Image credit: University of Central Florida), (Image credit: Courtesy of the NAIC - Arecibo Observatory, a facility of the NSF), 'Greenland' offers grim take on how humanity will respond to a comet impact, Watch live @ 3 pm ET: NASA's 'Great Conjunction' guide to the Saturn-Jupiter 'Christmas Star', SpaceX aborts US spy satellite launch due to rocket booster pressure issue, Boeing reveals mission patch for second Starliner orbital flight test, Pictures from space! Get breaking space news and the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! The NSF is also considering expanding the learning center, although the ongoing pandemic will impact that for the time being. A drone view of damage to a cable at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico captured after a second cable failed on Nov. 6, 2020. The observatory has withstood hurricanes, earthquakes and tropical storms over the years. Therefore, the NSF will decommission Arecibo Observatory… Updated 2:20 PM ET, Thu November 19, 2020. Damage at the Arecibo Observatory in August, 2020. Credit: NSF/NAIC. ... but with some significant damage. Thank you for signing up to Space. Outside astronomers had to wait over a week to learn that the observatory was still standing. The Arecibo Observatory, a huge and previously damaged radio telescope in Puerto Rico that played a key role in astronomical discoveries for more than half a century, completely collapsed on Tuesday. The observatory has put together a suite of options for stabilizing the situation and is waiting for a decision from the National Science Foundation, which owns the facility, about how to proceed. But for the observatory, things would only get worse. It's also Earth's prime sentinel for identifying whether specific asteroids are on a path to hit the planet — and it appeared in the blockbuster movies like James Bond's "GoldenEye" and "Contact," no less. 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