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mended by an intemational confer–
ence of distinguished scientists and
humanists held at Byurakan, Ar–
menia in the summer of 1971.
The most recent1y reported search
for radio signals transmitted by in–
telligent beings on other planets was
made by astronomer O. L. Ver–
schuur a t the National Radio As–
tronomy Observatory. He scanned
ten nearby stars for signals, but the
resu1ts were negative. Verschuur
says that his apparatus could have
detected signals of hundreds of kilo–
watts or megawatts of power if they
had been beamed in the direction of
the earth. Verschuur's attempt to
pick up signals from outer space is
merely one of the 1atest of such ef–
forts.
As far back as twenty years ago,
when astronomers first began set–
ting up radio telescopes to "tune in"
to signals from outer space, they
have considered the possibility that
sorne of those signals could be from
intelligent beings on another world,
separated from us by the void of
interstellar immensity.
About fifteen years ago, one of
the first major efforts to detect in–
telligent signals from outer space
was 1aunched at Oreen Bank, West
Virginia.
In
1959, it was proposed
that the giant radio telescope at
Oreen Bank be aimed at two nearby
stars to see if intelligent signals were
emanati ng from them. Project
Ozma commenced Apri1 8, 1960
and !asted through Ju1y. Witb the
giant telescope trained upon the
stars Epsi1on Eridoni and Tau Ceti,
astronomers "listened" attentive1y,
but heard no signals.
Later, in November 1961 , the
subject of intelligent, extraterrestrial
life was the focus of attention at a
meeting of the Space Science Board
of the Nationa l Academy of
Sciences at Oreen Bank.
The participants, including opti–
cal astronomers, radio astronomers,
a physicist, an ast rophysicist, and a
biochemist, shared a common feel–
ing that extraterrestrial civilizations
exist.
Also intrigued by the question of
22
F~FTEEn
YEAAS DF
SPACE TECHnDlDUY-
WHAT HAS IT GAINED US?
I
N
FEBRUARY 1958, a Jupiter-C
missile put the first U. S. satel–
lite into orbit.
lt
weighed 18
pounds and was named
Explorer.
Three years 1a ter, in May 196 1,
President John F. Kennedy an–
nounced: "l believe this nation
should commit itself to achieving
the goal, before this decade is out,
of landing a man on the moon and
re turning him safely to the earth."
His prophetic vision was ful–
filled July 20, 1969. Astronauts
Armstrong and Aldrin, in Apollo
11 , were the first two earthlings to
set foot on the moon.
From the Apollo 11 mission to
the spectacular Apollo 17 mission
in 1972, the United States has
spent sorne $27 billion on a total of
27 manned space ftights, including
the Mercury and Oemini pro–
grams, and has Jaunched over 800
orbital satellites, 300 of which are
stil l operational.
In the wake of the Apollo moon–
shot program carne the Skylab or–
bital missions around the earth.
What has all this activity and ex–
pense accomplished?
NASA officials point out lhat
experiments performed on huard
Skylab have contributed
immensely to our fund of knowl–
edge - both of the planet on
which we live, its weather, ocean
currents and resources, and of the
solar system on and beyond.
The Skylab workshop - a one
hundred ton space station
launched into orbit by a Saturn V
rocket from Cape Kennedy - has
shown that man can withstand
long periods in zero-gravity condi–
tions.
Weather satellites, according to
the U. S. National Academy of
Sciences, wi ll save billions of
dollars a year
in
farming, con–
struction, trans portation, and
prevention of ftood loss. By pro–
viding early warning, weather
satellites may have saved 50,000
lives during Hurricane Camille in
1969.
Spokesmen for the space pro–
gram point out that many practica}
benefits have resulted from space
exploration. Space technology has
benefited medica! research and
hospitals, 1ed to new noninftam–
mable materials, low-cost pollu–
tion sensors, new plutonium power
sources, fire-resistant paints and
building materials.
But on the other hand, critics
point out that space exploration
has not brought world peace. Na–
tiona1 enmities and hostility are
still rife. The threat of war, over–
population, famine, air and water
pollution, and disease are still with
us. And they show no signs of re–
treating before the onslaught of
modem techno1ogy.
The glamor of the space pro–
gram is beginning to wear off.
Problems on planet earth are
mounting. "How can we afford to
throw rockets and missiles into
space," peop1e ask, "while tremen–
áously complex problems remain
to be solved on earth?"
It's a good question. And the
final answer may be in sooner
than we think.
PLAIN TRUTH
January
1974
.