III
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 467
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 2, 2021
Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Ms. Warren, Mr. Markey, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Sinema, and Mr. Murphy) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
February 10, 2022
Committee discharged; considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the contributions made by the 305-meter radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory.
Whereas the Department of Defense began developing the Arecibo Observatory located in Barrio Esperanza, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, during the 1950s, and its characteristic instrument, a large radio telescope of 305 meters in diameter was completed in 1963;
Whereas the facility was later owned by the National Science Foundation, and supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and various university partners;
Whereas the Arecibo Observatory’s 305-meter fixed spherical radio telescope, was the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope until the Five-Hundred-Meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope located in Gizhou, China, began observing in 2016;
Whereas the 305-meter radio telescope made unparalleled contributions to the fields of radio astronomy, planetary, and atmospheric sciences, and played a role in inspiring thousands of students in Puerto Rico, the Nation, and the world to pursue careers in STEM fields through the Arecibo Observatory Education and Public Outreach Programs;
Whereas the radio telescope significantly advanced the field of radio astronomy, including the first indirect detection of gravitational waves, the first detection of extrasolar planets, innumerable contributions to the field of time domain astronomy and the study of the interstellar medium, and played a key role in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence;
Whereas the Arecibo Observatory had the best planetary radar system in the world, used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for near-Earth object detection and was a part of the agency’s planetary defense program;
Whereas the planetary radar at the Arecibo Observatory has contributed fundamentally and significantly to the knowledge of the solar system;
Whereas the Arecibo Observatory’s Incoherent Scatter Radar and supporting facilities have provided fundamental understanding of the ionosphere and upper atmosphere, and the interface between the atmosphere and space that protects the planet from solar wind, meteors, and other potential threats; and
Whereas December 1, 2021, marks the 1-year anniversary of the uncontrolled collapse sustained by the radio telescope after a series of cable failures in tower 4: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
acknowledges the loss of the Arecibo Observatory’s radio telescope due to its collapse and its implications for the loss of a unique world-class multidisciplinary science facility which conducted research in the areas of space and atmospheric sciences, radar astronomy and planetary sciences, astronomy, and astrophysics;
acknowledges that the uncontrolled collapse of the 305-meter radio telescope represents a remarkable loss of astronomical observation capabilities, scientific research and development, planetary defense capabilities, and applied science advantage for the United States;
recognizes the rich scientific, educational, and economic benefits that the Arecibo Telescope has made to the people of Puerto Rico, the Nation, and the world;
recognizes the work and contributions made by the thousands of dedicated staff who have supported the Arecibo Observatory for close to 6 decades;
commends the National Science Foundation for convening a virtual workshop in June 2021, to explore ideas for future scientific and educational activities at the Arecibo Observatory; and
encourages the National Science Foundation, in consultation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other agencies to study means of replacing the scientific capabilities that were lost at the Arecibo Observatory, utilizing new state-of-the-art technologies at the site.