Project Phoenix and beyond. Pesek Lecture.
Although there are no federally funded projects at this time, SETI (the search for extraterrestrial intelligence) is a vigorous exploratory science. There are currently eight observational programs on telescopes around the world, of which the Phoenix Project is the most comprehensive. Most of these projects are rooted in the conclusions of the pioneering studies of the early 1970's that are summarized in the Cyclops Report. Technology has experienced an exponential growth over the past two and a half decades. It is reasonable to reassess the Cyclops conclusions as SETI enters the next century. Listening for radio signals is still the preferred method of searching, however new technologies are making searches at other wavelengths possible and are modifying the ways in which the radio searches can and should be conducted. It may be economically feasible to undertake the construction of very large telescopes that can simultaneously provide multiple beams on the sky for use by SETI and the radioastronomy community.
Tarter
J
J
SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.
D001256:Astronomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D003142:Communication; D018559:Exobiology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D008872:Microwaves; D013672:Technology / Q000639:trends