Arecibo Observatory In Puerto Rico To Close

 

The Arecibo Observatory, the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, will be permanently closing.  The Arecibo Observatory is located in Arecibo, in northern Puerto Rico.  The National Science Foundation decommissioned the telescope after two support cables broke, causing major damage to the telescope.  Plan is to demolish the telescope which is at the verge of collapse.  

The Arecibo Observatory was built in 1963,  it is 305 meters wide, and a powerful planetary radar.  The telescope has pioneered work with asteroids in close proximity to earth, and in astronomy.  In 1974 astronomers used the telescope to send an interstellar radio message, in case any extraterrestrial life could hear it, and in 1992, the Arecibo Observatory, discovered the first known extrasolar planet.  The closure comes as a surprise to astronomers and the community.

The Arecibo Observatory is a major science-educational center for Puerto Rico, creating careers for astronomers and engineers.  Also, the iconic telescope, has been featured in major movies such as Contact, with actress Jodie Foster, and the James Bond film GoldenEye.   

UPDATE:

The Arecibo Telescope ended up collapsing, and it was caught on video:

                                                                                         

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President Trump Announces 13 Billion dollars For Puerto Rico

The Trump administration announced that FEMA will award two of its largest grants ever, for infrastructure projects in Puerto Rico.  The funds include $10 billion to rebuild the electrical grid and $2 billion for the Department of Education to repair schools across the island.

In addition, as previously mentioned, President Trump announced the plan to bring pharmaceutical manufacturing back to Puerto Rico.  It has been reported that companies are currently already on the move to the island.  

Here is President Trump's announcement:

                                                                                 

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Puerto Rico May Become National Manufacturing Center

 Puerto Rico may become a hub or national production center, of medical equipment and drugs.  In an effort to bring manufacturing of drugs and medical equipment back to the United States, the federal government is offering incentives to companies in exchange of job creation and capital investment.  

Puerto Rico could become the beneficiary of these incentives, since Puerto Rico has the capacity, labor, experience, and infrastructure.  The coronavirus pandemic shows that the country needed to rebuild its national manufacturing capacity, especially in the medical industry.

On August, 20, 2020, key representatives from the Trump administration were in Puerto Rico to bring pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States.  

On August, 31, 2020, the Department of Defense, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services, awarded an undefinitized contract action of $10,000,000 to Copan industries Inc. in Puerto Rico, to expand U.S. based industrial production capacity of flock tip swabs.  This will help Copan Industries increase their production of swabs to 14.4 million swabs per month, by February 2021, to support domestic COVID-19 testing.

This may be just the beginning for Puerto Rico,, as a manufacturing center and much needed jobs.

                         

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Puerto Rican alcapurrias

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