Sky & Telescope - February 2023 - 8

NEWS NOTES
ASTRONOMY & SOCIETY
National Science
Foundation Won't
Rebuild Arecibo
WHEN THE NATIONAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION (NSF) announced a new
educational center at Arecibo Observatory
in Puerto Rico, one line of an otherwise
innocuous statement sent shock
waves through the community: " The
solicitation does not include rebuilding
the 305-meter telescope or operational
support for current scientific infrastructure,
such as the 12-meter radio
telescope or Lidar facility. "
The NSF has been the steward of
Arecibo Observatory since its construction
was completed in 1963. But when
a suspended receiver collapsed on the
iconic 305-meter dish at the observatory's
heart in 2020 (S&T: Mar. 2021,
p. 8), it became clear that any replacement
would be years in the making. The
contract for the University of Central
Florida (UCF) to manage Arecibo
Observatory was already set to expire in
March 2023, and the NSF announcement
put the writing on the wall.
" We're entering a transition phase
to ramp down scientific and technical
activities and hand over to the future
STEM education center managers, " says
Julie Brisset, who directs the Florida
Space Institute at UCF.
What the new education center
would look like is still unclear; NSF is
still soliciting proposals as of press time.
The center would supplement significant
education and outreach programs
already happening at the observatory.
Despite the lack of support for
existing science facilities, it's still up in
the air whether the observatory would
continue operations in some form. " I'm
pretty sure they would not disregard
the opportunity to have science going
on - they're just not going to fund it, "
Brisset says.
In fact, the NSF announcement
states, " Teams seeking to utilize existing
scientific infrastructure or proposing
for new projects can submit proposals
that are complementary to the scope of
the new center. " An NSF spokesperson
confirmed that such proposals would
be coordinated with the Foundation as
well as with the new managers of the
reimagined center.
But the instruments are fragile. " If
there's, say, one month or so when an
instrument is not used and maintained,
then usually it doesn't work when you
show up again, " Brisset notes.
The NSF announcement came as a
surprise to many in the community. " I
was not expecting the NSF announcement, "
says Tracy Becker (Southwest
Research Institute), who got her start
via the Research Experience for Undergraduates
program at Arecibo. " Like
many other scientists, I have always
remained optimistic that the gravitas
of the iconic telescope, plus the incredible
and diverse scientific research
being conducting there, and could be
conducted there in the future with a
modest investment, would be enough to
warrant rebuilding the telescope. "
There also remains the question of
how to replace Arecibo's lost radar capabilities,
which scientists had used for
detailed characterization of near-Earth
asteroids. It's possible that additional
investments in existing facilities can
recover some capabilities. NSF is also
exploring next-generation radar needs,
with a report expected later in 2023.
Perhaps the biggest impact will be on
the local community. " To me, there is
irony in creating a STEM education center
in Puerto Rico through the closure
one of the largest facilities on the island
that actually employs people with STEM
careers, " Becker says. " The engineers
and scientists who operate the Arecibo
Observatory instruments will need to
look for different jobs, and many will
likely be driven to leave the island of
Puerto Rico. "
Brisset agrees. " This is a big loss
for the Puerto Rican community, " she
says. " I mean, it's great to have a STEM
education center there, but a STEM
education center always benefits from
active science. "
¢MONICA YOUNG
pLeft: Arecibo Observatory as it appeared during its heyday. Right: This photo shows the damage to the 305-meter telescope at Arecibo Observatory
shortly after its collapse.
8
FEBRUARY 2023 * SKY & TELESCOPE
BEFORE COLLAPSE: NAIC ARECIBO OBSERVATORY / NSF;
AFTER COLLAPSE: MICHELLE NEGRON / NSF

Sky & Telescope - February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky & Telescope - February 2023