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29th November 2024
Dear President Biden,
In the Lame-Duck time of your administration there is something I would ask you to see to that would stand as a good gesture to this nation. I would ask you to at least propose or encourage the government to rebuild the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.
You may or may not recall the destruction of this scientific tool back in 2020, but it had been a long standing temple to American science and technology. It was the largest radio telescope in the world for many years until being surpassed by the Chinese FAST model and was a major player in the planning of NASA missions.
It had been in operation since the late sixties and so was very old, but still a major facet of science and media appearing in movies and the like. I can tell you that even four years after it fell I still get updates about the science it made possible.
We have been talking of building a new telescope on the moon, but that will take time and the loss of Arecibo Observatory will have a negative impact on that project. The fall of the Arecibo Observatory left a hole in science and the local economy around the project as well as setting back NASA and the world of astronomy.
The cost of rebuilding the Arecibo Observatory would be almost nothing in terms of the US budget and it would make a big difference in the eyes of the people and the world. Making a plea for this place would be a kindness, and kindness is what Joe Biden is known for.
Many an American will cry when they see you walk out of the White House for the last time. This would give them one more reason.
God Bless America,
Richard Leland Neal
