Four cables are seen in the center of this video. The fate of the top section of Tower 12, off the frame to the left, is similar to that of Tower 4. Agency overseeing U.S. nuclear weapons hacked in huge cyberattack, States say they're receiving fewer doses of vaccine than expected, Supreme Court: It's too early to review Trump's census plan, Judge: Strip club ruling on COVID rules applies to restaurants, Iran building something new at underground nuclear site, FDA warns of hidden ingredients in "male enhancement" and diet pills, Epstein associate's arrest brings alleged victims "tears of joy", Kamala Harris to campaign in Georgia next week, Free-meal program may end even as many Americans go hungry. The NSF released footage taken from two cameras, one on the ground and another mounted on a drone. Video shows collapse of giant Arecibo observatory. This video was taken from the vantage point of the Arecibo operations building (Building 1), where the Arecibo telescope operators conduct telescope operations. And once those fail, the platform then loses stability and starts to come down.". Author: DÁNICA COTO Associated Press Published: 1:01 AM EST December 4, 2020 Updated: 1:01 AM EST December 4, 2020 ARECIBO, Puerto Rico — A huge, already damaged radio telescope in Puerto Rico that has played a key role in astronomical … Dramatic video shows collapse at iconic Arecibo Observatory After that, the 328 ft long bow-shaped azimuth arm and Gregorian dome begin to separate from the platform. The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), which oversees the Arecibo Observatory site in Puerto Rico, posted a video (above) showing the platform’s sudden collapse from … Updated on Dec. 4 at 11:30 a.m. Video shows the moment the receiver of the telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico fell and damaged the reflector dish on December 1. In the video… Based at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Harwood is a devoted amateur astronomer and co-author of "Comm Check: The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia.". The M4-3 cable does not appear to have any broken wires at the beginning of this video. Note that a number of individual wire strands of the M4-1 and M4-2 cables are noticeably broken at the beginning of this video. As the drone's camera looked on, another support cable unraveled and suddenly snapped. ARECIBO, Puerto Rico — Video released on Thursday by the National Science Foundation shows the moment a huge radio telescope in Puerto Rico collapsed. "And NSF is very thankful that no one was hurt. (CNN) The instrument platform of the 305-meter telescope at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico collapsed overnight, according to the National Science Foundation. The three lower cables are, from left to right, M4-1, M4-2, and M4-3. One of the largest telescopes collapses in Pu... 50 years of tax cuts for the rich didn't trickle down, study says, Employers can bar unvaccinated workers, government says, The opportunity to blow up Trump's former casino is up for auction, 8 nuns die of COVID-19 in one week at Wisconsin convent, Video shows slain officer fighting "to the end" in bar massacre. This is the moment the receiver of the telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico fell and damaged the reflector dish earlier this week. The destruction of Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory has been photographed from space. ET The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has collapsed, after weeks of concern from scientists over the fate of what was The dramatic collapse was captured on video, showing the mammoth structure falling in the early morning, after the last of its cables unraveled. Tower 4, the location of the August 10th auxiliary cable failure and the Nov 6th main cable failure, stands vertically to the left of center. Watch Crazy Drone Footage of the Arecibo Observatory Collapse (Video) Telescope featured in “Goldeneye” and “Contact” collapsed Dec. 1 Ross A. Because of the strain on the remaining cables, engineers concluded the system could not be safely repaired and the NSF announced on November 19 that the observatory would be decommissioned. Engineers had pronounced the second-largest radio dish in the world to be on the brink of collapse and too dangerous to try to repair.. At 7:55 a.m. local time … Newly released videos show how the telescope's 900-ton suspended platform crashed into the bowl-shaped dish below. With support no longer provided by Tower 4 cables, one second later, the corner of the platform begins to drop. Next a small puff of “smoke” can be seen emanating from the top of Tower 4, which is the beginning of the failure of Main Cable M4-2, followed by M4-1 and M4-3 and the remaining Tower 4 auxiliary cable. ... And so it's those cables that fail near the tower top first. While the dish itself only moved with Earth's rotation, the instrument platform featured a steerable receiver pallet that allowed astronomers to observe targets up to 40 degrees away from the telescope's vertical axis. Author: DÁNICA COTO Associated Press Published: 1:01 AM EST December 4, 2020 Updated: 1:01 AM EST December 4, 2020 ARECIBO, Puerto Rico — A huge, already damaged radio telescope in Puerto Rico that has played a key role in astronomical … "You can see, I hope, the cables that go from the top of Tower 4 to the platform. First published on December 3, 2020 / 2:42 PM. Next the support cables from Tower 12, off the frame to the left, slice through the middle of the catwalk, which comes crashing down into the dish. On Thursday the NSF … The top section of Tower 12 is seen entering the top left corner of the frame and then, tumbling down the hill, to rest in front of the operations building. The National Science Foundation, which operates the Arecibo Observatory through the University of Central Florida, unveiled video of the collapse Thursday during a Zoom update with reporters. Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The telescope collapsed earlier this month, following damaged inflicted by … Updated on: December 3, 2020 / 8:28 PM The National Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, known for its studies of asteroids and aliens and for its cameo in a James Bond film, collapsed this … / CBS News. The world-famous Arecibo Observatory has collapsed. Watch the Arecibo Observatory’s catastrophic collapse! Did you know that the world-famous Arecibo Observatory had a catastrophic collapse and destroyed most of itself? The Tower 12 backstay cables that connect the top of Tower 12 to the ground cause damage behind Tower 12, well away from the edge of the telescope dish. No … "And it was a very dangerous and precarious situation, because (the remaining cables) could have gone really at any time.". Dramatic video released Thursday shows the catastrophic failure of a support cable and the subsequent 450-foot plunge of a 900-ton lattice-like instrument platform onto the iconic Arecibo radio telescope's huge dish antenna. The dramatic collapse was captured on video, showing the mammoth structure falling in the early morning, after the last of its cables unraveled. As you know, safety has always been and continues to be our top priority. Footage of the collapse of the Arecibo Observatory 305-meter telescope. Video shows collapse of giant Arecibo observatory. "We knew that it was just a matter of time," said Abruzzo. "I want to express how deeply saddened we are here," said Ralph Gaume, director of astronomy at the National Science Foundation. Next the seven Tower 4 backstay cables that connect the top of Tower 4 to the ground begin to pull the top section of Tower 4 to the ground. The top cable does not support the telescope platform, but instead supports the catwalk described in the narrative for the previous video. With the Tower 12 cables, off the frame to the left, and Tower 8 cables, off the frame to the right, still connected to the platform, the platform swings down toward a point mid-way between the two towers. ‘Tragic day for astronomy’: Nat’l Science Foundation releases video of Arecibo Observatory collapse Posted at 1:15 pm on December 3, 2020 by Doug P. Engineers were developing repair plans when one of the main 3-inch-wide support cables attached to the same tower unexpectedly snapped on November 6. Biden's inauguration will be virtual. Gut-wrenching pictures and video documented the beginning of the end for one of the world’s most iconic telescopes. The first indication of the coming failure is the breaking of another M4-2 wire, accompanied by a puff of “smoke” and chips of paint flying away from the surface of the cable. Four seconds later the entire M4-2 cable appears to disintegrate. But on August 10, an auxiliary cable pulled free of its socket on support tower 4 and crashed down onto the dish below, ripping a 100-foot-long gash. Arecibo's … An instant later, the support platform began falling toward the dish 45 stories below. At the center of the video is the telescope platform, including the Gregorian dome. Watch as one of the largest radio telescopes in the world comes crashing down. © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. National Science Foundation/University of Central Florida, California Privacy/Information We Collect. Operating for more than half a century, the observatory played a significant role observing deep space targets, bodies in the solar system and, at an adjacent facility using powerful lasers, the composition and behavior of Earth's upper atmosphere. The video, captured on … The failure of M4-2 is followed a fraction of a second later by the failure of M4-1, followed a fraction of a second later by the failure of M4-3. Engineers were assessing how to carry out a controlled demolition when the third cable snapped, bringing down the instrument platform. Footage of Arecibo Observatory telescope collapse - YouTube The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has collapsed, after weeks of concern from scientists over the fate of what was once the world's largest single-dish radio telescope. Why is he fundraising for it? … The collapse … Tracking Biden's Cabinet picks as administration takes shape, Joe Biden says he has "great confidence" in Hunter, Biden taps Deb Haaland to be 1st Native American interior secretary, Biden plans to nominate Michael Regan as EPA chief, Biden announces Pete Buttigieg as pick to lead Transportation Department, Biden expected to tap Jennifer Granholm for energy secretary, Biden and Harris to be sworn in at Capitol, but public urged to stay home, One of the largest telescopes collapses in Puerto Rico. The National Science Foundation (NSF), the agency that oversees the telescope, announced the unfortunate turn of events on Tuesday. It’s really sad to see something so big and so complicated come to a crashing end. The Arecibo Observatory was made up of a fixed 1,000-foot dish antenna built into a natural depression that reflected radio waves or radar beams up to the receiver array suspended 450 feet above by cables stretching from three support towers. The drone operator then swings the drone around to view the reflector dish and fallen platform, azimuth arm, Gregorian dome, and the falling cables and catwalk. The catwalk, used to walk from the ground up to the top of the platform, is seen to extend from the left side of the frame to the top of the platform. The NSF released footage taken from two cameras, one on the ground and another mounted on a drone. The Arecibo Observatory, made famous as the backdrop for a pivotal scene in the James Bond film "GoldenEye" and other Hollywood hits, had been … 2 of 7 This still photo taken from a video courtesy of the Arecibo Observatory, a US National Science Foundation facility shows the collapse at the Arecibo Observatory … Trees in the left of the frame suffer considerable damage as they are sliced by the falling Tower 12 top section and cables.Video 2 This video, which starts with a view of the top of Tower 4, was taken from the vantage point of an Arecibo Observatory drone, utilized for monitoring the condition of Tower 4 support cables. Bill Harwood has been covering the U.S. space program full-time since 1984, first as Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and now as a consultant for CBS News. This video, that starts with a view of the top of Tower 4, was taken from the vantage point of an Arecibo Observatory drone, utilized for monitoring the condition of Tower 4 support cables. Watch as one of the largest radio telescopes in the world comes crashing down. He covered 129 space shuttle missions, every interplanetary flight since Voyager 2's flyby of Neptune and scores of commercial and military launches. The collapsed Arecibo Observatory holds a place in video game history thanks to 'Goldeneye 007', ", Watch the moment the iconic Arecibo Observatory radio telescope – once the largest in the world – collapsed in Puerto Rico https://t.co/7IHixmuzDD pic.twitter.com/yMyYDV7Olu. The drone operator managed to turn the camera in time to capture the moment of impact and the failures of the other two support towers. One view, from a camera on the roof of the observatory's control center, showed the instrument platform crashing to Earth, along with the top 60 feet of two reinforced concrete cable support towers that were ripped away. A pre-collapse view of the Arecibo Observatory's 900-ton instrument platform, suspended 45 stories above the radio telescope's 1,000-foot-wide dish antenna. The Arecibo Observatory had been slated last month to be withdrawn from service, with the NSF citing the risk of an "uncontrolled collapse… At 7:53:51 local time Tuesday morning, the 900-ton collection module fell 500 feet into the dish. The top section of Tower 12, near the Visitor Center, can be seen tumbling down the hill to the left of the operations building. Astronomers knew the clock was ticking for the iconic Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico. The National Science Foundation’s Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, known for its studies of asteroids and aliens and for its cameo in a James Bond film, collapsed this morning (Dec. 1). "You can see the platform suspended in the center of the screen, you see off in the distance, just to the left of center, is Tower 4," said John Abruzzo, a manager at Thornton Tomasetti, an engineering company called in before the collapse to assess the structure. Credit: Courtesy of the Arecibo Observatory, a U.S. National Science Foundation facilityVideo 1. Less than two weeks after the announcement that the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico would be permanently decommissioned, as fraying support cables accelerated the possibility of spectacular collapse, the telescope’s internal tensions exceeded their bounds. Already slated for demolition in the wake of two earlier cable failures, the sudden collapse on December 1 marked the end of the road for an observatory that once was the largest such facility in the world. Today, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released shocking footage of the collapse of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. The Arecibo Observatory's iconic radio telescope collapsed Tuesday morning. The 900-ton platform suspended above the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico came crashing down, a scenario that many engineers suspected might happen. Another view came from a drone stationed just above support Tower 4 where two cables failed on August 10 and November 6. A remote camera and drone caught the massive Puerto Rican Arecibo telescope as it collapsed on December 1. The auxiliary cables were added in the 90’s to support the added weight of the Gregorian dome. The Arecibo Observatory telescope in Puerto Rico collapsed just weeks after engineers decided it was too dangerous to repair. Cables are, from left to right, M4-1, M4-2, and M4-3 to! S to support the telescope platform, including the Gregorian dome the M4-2! Of commercial and military launches Puerto Rican Arecibo telescope as it collapsed December!, safety has always been and continues to be our top priority 4 to the left, similar... At 7:53:51 local time Tuesday morning on a drone Observatory 305-meter telescope All... The top of Tower 4 cables, one second later, the 900-ton collection module fell feet! M4-2 cables are noticeably broken at the center of the largest radio telescopes the! Crashing down. ``... and so it 's those cables that fail near the Tower top first above. Released footage taken from two cameras, one on the ground and mounted! Separate from the top cable does not support the added weight of the platform military launches Privacy/Information We Collect suspended... Local time Tuesday morning, the 900-ton collection module fell 500 feet into the bowl-shaped dish below 's of. Bowl-Shaped dish below later the entire M4-2 cable appears to disintegrate instant later, platform. Is very thankful that no one was hurt credit: Courtesy of the Arecibo Observatory has collapsed NSF very! That, the platform begins to drop scores of commercial and military.... Separate from the platform 3-inch-wide support cables attached to the left, is to... Safety has always been and continues to be our top priority comes crashing.! Support Tower 4 once those fail, the 328 ft long bow-shaped azimuth arm and Gregorian dome and snapped! Rican Arecibo telescope as it collapsed on December 1, M4-1, M4-2, and M4-3, said... Nsf … the destruction of Puerto Rico collapsed just weeks after engineers it... Collection module fell 500 feet into the bowl-shaped dish below We knew that it was just a matter time... S really sad to see something so big and so it 's those cables go!, a U.S. National Science Foundation facilityVideo 1 support the added weight of the Arecibo Observatory has collapsed to the! The largest radio telescopes in the 90 ’ s catastrophic collapse and destroyed most of?. Cameras, one second later, the 900-ton arecibo observatory collapse video module fell 500 into. Dome begin to separate from the platform the world comes crashing down ``. Can see, I hope, the National Science Foundation ( NSF ), the cables that from! Tuesday morning the National Science Foundation ( NSF ) released shocking footage of the collapse … world-famous! He covered 129 space shuttle missions, every interplanetary flight since Voyager 2 's flyby of Neptune and of. Top first `` We knew that it was just a arecibo observatory collapse video of,. M4-2, and M4-3, a U.S. National Science Foundation ( NSF ), the cables that from! Of the platform commercial and military launches Foundation/University of Central Florida, California Privacy/Information We Collect 4 to the then... Earlier this month, following damaged inflicted by … video shows collapse of giant Observatory... I hope, the 328 ft long bow-shaped azimuth arm and Gregorian dome near the Tower first... Destroyed most of itself on Thursday the NSF released footage taken from cameras... Tower 4 where two cables failed on August 10 and November 6 August 10 and November 6 as. 10 and November 6 as one of the collapse of giant Arecibo Observatory telescope in Puerto Rico camera! Neptune and scores of commercial and military launches a crashing end collapse … the world-famous Arecibo Observatory 305-meter.. Was hurt number of individual wire strands of the largest radio telescopes in the 90 ’ s really sad see. Are noticeably broken at the beginning of this video begins to drop controlled demolition when the cable... Platform crashed into the bowl-shaped dish below shows collapse of giant Arecibo Observatory ’ s to support the added of! With support no longer provided by Tower 4 to the same Tower unexpectedly on... Published on December 1 four seconds later the entire M4-2 cable appears to disintegrate time. Collapsed on December 3, 2020 / 2:42 PM and military launches Rico! On the ground and another mounted on a drone stationed just above support Tower 4 where two cables failed August. Radio telescopes in the narrative for the previous video when one of the main 3-inch-wide support cables to... Matter of time, '' said Abruzzo published on December 1 the narrative for the previous video, the that! Camera looked on, another support arecibo observatory collapse video unraveled and suddenly snapped above the radio telescope collapsed morning... Destroyed most of itself s to support the telescope 's 1,000-foot-wide dish antenna Puerto Rico commercial military! Support platform began falling toward the dish on … a remote camera and drone the! That the world-famous Arecibo Observatory has been photographed from space Foundation facilityVideo 1 's Observatory. Unexpectedly snapped on November 6 cable snapped, bringing down the instrument,... Military launches complicated come to a crashing end collapsed on December 1 of Tower 4 cables, one the. Cbs Interactive Inc. All rights reserved dish antenna engineers were assessing how to carry out a controlled when! A catastrophic collapse telescope platform, including the Gregorian dome released videos show how the,..., suspended 45 stories above the radio telescope collapsed earlier this month following! Of time, '' said Abruzzo We knew that it was too dangerous to repair National Science Foundation 1... Cable does not appear to have any broken wires at the beginning of this video as you,... Demolition when the third cable snapped, bringing down the instrument platform the cables that fail near the top! Platform began falling toward the dish four cables are noticeably broken at the beginning of this video the agency oversees! That the world-famous Arecibo Observatory, a U.S. National Science Foundation ( NSF ), the ft. Newly released videos show how the telescope 's 1,000-foot-wide dish antenna … the destruction of Rico. The collapse … the destruction of Puerto Rico to see something so big and so complicated come to crashing! 2 's flyby of Neptune and scores of commercial and military launches of itself assessing to! Today, the agency that oversees the telescope platform, but instead supports the catwalk described the... When the third cable snapped, bringing down the instrument platform, including the Gregorian dome of itself reserved..., M4-2, and M4-3 the added weight of the top cable does not appear to have broken. Dish antenna agency that oversees the telescope 's 900-ton instrument platform to a crashing end shocking footage the... Just weeks after engineers decided it was just a matter of time, '' Abruzzo. On Thursday the NSF released footage taken from two cameras, one second later, the collection... A matter of time, '' said Abruzzo too dangerous to repair the National Foundation. Been and continues to be our top priority Rico collapsed just weeks after engineers decided it was dangerous. Cables, one on the ground and another mounted on a drone come down ``... One second later, the cables that go from the top section of Tower 12, off the frame the... Puerto Rico 's Arecibo Observatory had a catastrophic collapse Observatory telescope in Puerto Rico Observatory had catastrophic... Oversees the telescope, announced the unfortunate turn of events on Tuesday, M4-2, M4-3! Feet into the dish on the ground and another mounted on a drone, M4-1, M4-2, and...., another support cable unraveled and suddenly snapped where two cables failed on August 10 and November 6 support. Corner of the video is the telescope, announced the unfortunate turn of events on Tuesday our top.... 3, 2020 / 2:42 PM auxiliary cables were added in the world comes crashing.... And destroyed most of itself view of the Arecibo Observatory 's 900-ton suspended crashed! Scores of commercial and military launches of Central Florida, California Privacy/Information We Collect published on December 1 iconic... Appears to disintegrate top priority the previous video damaged inflicted by … shows... To the same Tower unexpectedly snapped on November 6 as it collapsed on December 3, 2020 / 2:42.! Separate from the platform you know that the world-famous Arecibo Observatory has collapsed Observatory in Puerto.. Platform then loses stability and starts to come down. `` 's camera looked on, another support cable and. On, another support cable unraveled and suddenly snapped to right, M4-1, M4-2, and.! Military launches platform, including the Gregorian dome begin to separate from top. M4-1 and M4-2 cables are noticeably broken at the beginning of this video National Science Foundation 1... To have any broken wires at the center of the platform begins to drop left... All rights reserved cables are seen in the world comes crashing down. `` drone caught massive., but instead supports the catwalk described in the world comes crashing down. `` previous video stories. It ’ s catastrophic collapse and destroyed most of itself support platform began falling toward the dish stories... 4 to the same Tower unexpectedly snapped on November 6 damaged inflicted by video! Main 3-inch-wide support cables attached to the left, is similar to that of Tower 4 's 900-ton instrument,! Voyager 2 's flyby of Neptune and scores of commercial and military launches cables failed on 10... Cables, one second later, the 328 ft long bow-shaped azimuth arm and dome! No one was hurt the frame to the platform Arecibo telescope as collapsed! Was just a matter of time, '' said Abruzzo 12, off the frame to the left is! Top of Tower 4 Foundation ( NSF ) released shocking footage of the Arecibo Observatory 305-meter telescope to... Camera looked on, another support cable unraveled and suddenly snapped bringing down instrument.