At 9:43 p.m. EST on Tuesday the 15th of November 1988, the 300Foot telescope in Green Bank collapsed. The collapse was due to the sudden failure of a key structural element--a large gusset plate in the box girder assembly that formed the main support for the antenna.
The loss of the 300Foot telescope resulted in the Green Bank Telescope Project.
Photograph of the 300Foot radio telescope taken on November 15, 1988
before the collapse. Click on photo for larger image.
Photograph of the 300Foot radio telescope taken on November 16, 1988.
The telescope collapsed at 9:43 PM on November 15, 1988. Click on
photo for larger image.
photos by Richard Porcas