The National Science Foundation (NSF) will not rebuild Puerto Rico’s massive Arecibo Observatory after it collapses in late 2020.
According to an NSF announcement, the agency instead intends to construct an education center focused on STEM education and outreach.
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The Arecibo Observatory was an important tool for deep-space observation, and it was featured in movies like Contact and GoldenEye.
However, in AugusE3t 2020, an auxiliary cable failed, followed by another cable failure in November.
The NSF feared that others would follow, putting Arecibo at risk, and announced plans to demolish the observatory. Arecibo, however, collapsed in on itself before that could happen.
The unnamed new center is scheduled to open in 2023. The NSF is seeking proposals to manage “the center’s education, STEM research, and outreach aspects.”
According to the Associated Press, the investigation into what caused Arecibo’s demise is still ongoing.
