Are We There Yet?

A 305-meter radio telescope in Puerto Rico collapsed after sustaining damage earlier this year -- sending 900 tons of radio equipment crashing into the dish.

A 305-meter radio telescope in Puerto Rico collapsed after sustaining damage earlier this year -- sending 900 tons of radio equipment crashing into the dish.

For nearly six decades, a 1,000 foot dish in a Puerto Rican forest has led the charge in searching for far away planets, alien life and tracking near-Earth asteroids. It’s also had cameos in television and film including the 1995 James Bond movie Goldeneye. Now, that dish is going dark.

The National Science Foundation said it is shutting down the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico due to safety concerns. The move comes after two incidents this year damaged the 57-year-old radio observatory.

So what does this mean for radio astronomy? First, we’ll talk with Arecibo Directory Francisco Cordova about the move to decommission the radio telescope and what work still lies ahead for Arecibo.

Then, we’ll talk with planetary scientists Paul Byrne about Arecibo’s lasting legacy and what facilities are currently available to help fill the void left by the end of this massive radio dish.

Exploring Arecibo’s impact -- that’s ahead on Are We There Yet? here on America’s Space Station.

For nearly six decades, a 1,000 foot dish in a Puerto Rican forest has led the charge in searching for far away planets, alien life and tracking near-Earth asteroids. It’s also had cameos in television and film including the 1995 James Bond movie Goldeneye. Now, that dish is going dark.

For nearly six decades, a 1,000 foot dish in a Puerto Rican forest has led the charge in searching for far away planets, alien life and tracking near-Earth asteroids. It’s also had cameos in television and film including the 1995 James Bond movie Goldeneye. Now, that dish is going dark.

Four astronauts successfully launched and docked to the International Space Station this week, flying on the first commercially designed and built spacecraft -- SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.

Four astronauts successfully launched and docked to the International Space Station this week, flying on the first commercially designed and built spacecraft -- SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.

All eyes have been on the Presidential race, but the 2020 election will also have an impact on the U.S. space program. From Congressional funding to NASA leadership -- what’s ahead? We’ll talk about the political science behind the rocket science with Space Policy Online founder and editor Marcia Smith.

Then, black holes have captured the attention of the masses with breakthroughs in imaging, gravitational wave detection and Nobel Prize recognition. What’s spurring this new dawn of black hole discovery? And how can scientists communicate such complex phenomena to a general audience? We’ll chat with Janna Levin, professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University about her new book: Black Hole Survival Guide.

All eyes have been on the Presidential race, but the 2020 election will also have an impact on the U.S. space program. From Congressional funding to NASA leadership -- what’s ahead? Then, black holes have captured the attention of the masses with breakthroughs in imaging, gravitational wave detection and Nobel Prize recognition. What’s spurring this new dawn of black hole discovery?

All eyes have been on the Presidential race, but the 2020 election will also have an impact on the U.S. space program. From Congressional funding to NASA leadership -- what’s ahead? Then, black holes have captured the attention of the masses with breakthroughs in imaging, gravitational wave detection and Nobel Prize recognition. What’s spurring this new dawn of black hole discovery?