The Caltech Submillimeter telescope has been removed from the Maunakea summit.
The Caltech Submillimeter telescope has been removed from the Maunakea summit.
The 34-foot-diameter telescope was removed from the summit facility on Sept. 11 as part of the observatory’s decommissioning. The instrument has been disassembled and is being packed for an eventual shipment to Chile.
Deconstruction of the facility will begin this week, starting with interior demolition and pumping out the cesspool. Demolition of the building itself will not happen until the spring, in order to avoid the winter weather.
Following the removal of the building and the underground infrastructure, Caltech will carry out site restoration work at the premises.
“In accordance with the permits guiding the decommissioning, cultural, construction and archaeological monitors have been and will be present at all appropriate phases,” said Caltech Submillimeter Observatory Director Sunil Golwala in a statement.
The full cost of the decommissioning is estimated to exceed $4 million.
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