We will not see it as a start anymore. The $ 8 million financing is unlikely to come close to the reconstruction of the telescope. We have asked the NSF to comment on the financial promise, but it is safe to assume that a revival needs additional assistance.
Yet the funds are an important step. They indicate the area’s commitment to Arecibo and its space studies despite the loss. They may also encourage some in the U.S. government to spend the extra money needed to raise the Observatory. Do not be surprised if 2021 is a brighter year for the facility, even if any reconstruction effort is likely to take longer.
Update, 31/12/2020, 15:54 ET:
In a statement to Engadget, an NSF spokesman said:
NSF’s process for funding and constructing large-scale infrastructure, including telescopes, is an established, multi-year procedure that involves assessing the needs of the scientific community, receiving input from researchers and other stakeholders, taking into account the environmental and cultural impact and work with Congress. As the Arecibo Observatory’s 305-meter telescope recently collapsed, NSF is unable to comment on possible future plans at this time. However, we will continue to work with Congress on the issue, including adherence to the language that accompanies the new spending package for omnibuses.
NSF emphasizes that the observatory does not close. Research on archived data from the 305-meter telescope will continue and NSF is looking for ways to restore operations with the other observatory’s infrastructure as soon as possible, including the 12-meter telescope and LIDAR facilities. NSF will continue to clean up and secure the site of the 305-meter telescope and look forward to working with Puerto Rico to find new ways to support the scientific community and the local community.