An ongoing investigation into the collapse of Puerto Rico's iconic Arecibo Observatory indicates that improper installation of one of its auxiliary cables likely contributed to the failure.
The 900-ton science platform of the Arecibo telescope was suspended above its massive radio dish by three dozen cables. In August, one cable dislodged from its socket. Before repairs could be made, a second cable failed. The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), which owned the facility, deemed the platform too unstable for safe repairs and opted to decommission it. The telescope ultimately collapsed on December 1.
Cleanup teams have since removed hazardous debris and are dismantling the 305-meter-diameter reflective antenna. They are assessing components for salvage and evaluating debris for historical value to determine what should be preserved.
At the request of the U.S. Congress, two investigations are examining the collapse causes. One targets the twelve auxiliary cables added in the 1990s during the suspended dome installation—the same dome featured in films like "Contact" and "GoldenEye."
The first failed cable was one of these auxiliaries, connected to a support tower. Preliminary findings reveal that its "implementation procedure had not been done properly," causing "advanced degradation," according to Observatory Director Francisco Cordova. The review continues, and conclusions remain preliminary.
Cordova notes, "There is probably not just one factor, but a host of things that contributed to this failure." Recent challenges in Puerto Rico, including Hurricane Maria in 2017 and over 10,000 earthquakes in 2020, exacerbated the aging structure's vulnerabilities.
The second probe examines the original 1960s main cables, as one failed in November. Full results are expected by late February.
