We don’t see it more than the beginning. The $ 8 million fund is unlikely to come anywhere to restructure the telescope. We have asked the NSF to comment on the financial pledge, but the resuscitation is safe to assume that additional assistance will be needed.
Nevertheless, funding represents an important step. They hint at its space study despite the region’s commitment and loss to Arecibo. They may also urge some in the U.S. government to dedicate additional funds needed to revitalize the observatory. Don’t be surprised if 2021 is a bright year for the facility, even if it takes more time to rebuild.
Updated, 12/31/2020, 3:54 pm ET:
In a statement to Engadget, an NSF spokesman said:
The NSF’s process for funding and construction for large-scale infrastructure facilities, including telescopes, is a well-established, multi-year process that assesses the needs of the scientific community, seeking input from researchers and other stakeholders, taking into account environmental and cultural influences. With Congress. As the 305-meter telescope of the Ci Resibo Observatory was recently broken, the NSF will not be able to comment on future plans at this time. However, we will continue to work with Congress on this issue, including adhering to the language with the new nMinibus spending package.
The NSF emphasizes that the observatory is not closed. Research involving data archived from a 50-te-meter telescope will continue, and the NSF is looking for ways to restore operation as soon as possible with other observatory infrastructure, including 12-meter telescopes and LIDAR facilities. The NSF will continue to clean and secure the site of the 305-meter telescope and look forward to working with Puerto Rico to find new ways to support the scientific community and the local community.
