Two of The World's Most Advanced Telescopes Remain Closed Following Cyberattack
SPACE
31 August 2023
By MIKE MCRAE
Weeks after a cybersecurity incident was detected by researchers at the US National Science Foundation (NSF), a number of telescopes remain offline.
The Gemini North telescope in Hawaii and the Gemini South telescope in Chile, as well as a number of smaller telescopes on the mountains of Cerro Tololo in Chile, were shut down out of "an abundance of caution", and there is currently no word on when they will return to operation.
On the morning of August 1, IT staff at NSF's NOIRLab detected suspicious activity in its computer systems, prompting a decision to shut down operations at its giant, 8.1-meter diameter optical infrared telescopes on Hawaii's Maunakea to be safe.
The telescope's southern 'twin' in the in the Chilean Andes was already being prepared for maintenance, requiring little action.
While it's not clear what danger – if any – the telescopes themselves might have faced, the threat is a reminder of the fact that science is a costly business, with astronomical research facilities requiring annual budgets that easily run into the millions.
More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/two-of-the-worlds-most-advanced-telescopes-remain-closed-following-cyberattack
Gemini South telescope in Chile