Legal consequences of a SETI detection

If a detection of ETI takes place, this will in all probability be the result of either: (a) detecting and recognising a signal or other emission of ETI; or (b) the finding of an alien artifact (for instance on the Moon or other Celestial Body of our Solar System); or (c) the highly improbable event of an actual encounter. First and foremost, legal consequences regarding any of these contingencies will result from immediate consultations between nations on Earth. Understandings, memoranda and even agreements might be proposed and/or concluded. Such results within the field of terrestrial law will surely be a new branch of International Law, and particularly of International Space Law. At the same time, terrestrial nations will have to realize that any ETI will be self-determined intelligent individualities or organizations who might have their own understanding of “rules of behaviour” and thus, be legal subjects. Whether one calls such rules “law” or not: if two intelligent races—both of which have specific rules of behaviour—come into contact with each other, the basic understanding of such mutual rules will lead to a kind of “code of conduct”. This might be the starting point for a kind of Law—Metalaw—between different races in the Universe.     

Using Spacelab as a precursor of science operations for the Space Station

For more than 15 years, Spacelab, has provided a laboratory in space for an international array of experiments, facilities, and experimenters. In addition to continuing this important work, Spacelab is now serving as a crucial stepping-stone to the improved science, improved operations, and rapid access to space that will characterize International Space Station. In the Space Station era, science operations will depend primarily on distributed/remote operations that will allow investigators to direct science activities from their universities, facilities, or home bases. Spacelab missions are a crucial part of preparing for these activities, having been used to test, prove, and refine remote operations over several missions. The knowledge gained from preparing these Missions is also playing a crucial role in reducing the time required to put an experiment into orbit, from revolutionizing the processes involved to testing the hardware needed for these more advanced operations. This paper discusses the role of the Spacelab program and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center- (MSFC-) managed missions in developing and refining remote operations, new hardware and facilities for use on Space Station, and procedures that dramatically reduce preparation time for flight.     

The SERENDIP SETI project: new instrumentation for SETI and results of recent observations

Over the past 30 years research into the existence of extraterrestrial life has focused on attempts to detect stable narrowband radio signals emitted in the microwave portion of the radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The SERENDIP SETI group is currently conducting search operations on the world’s largest radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.The third generation SERENDIP system, SERENDIP III, is a 4 million channel FFT-based spectrum analyzer with 0.6 Hz frequency resolution. In this paper, we will discuss the results of our recent 3.5 year sky survey. SERENDIP looked at 95% of the sky visible from Arecibo in the 424–436 MHz range, analyzed 10¹⁴ spectral bins, and logged information on over 2.5×10⁸ signals.The fourth generation SERENDIP system expands on the SERENDIP III design. SERENDIP IV computes 2×10¹¹ operations each second, providing spectral analysis on 160 million channels in 1.7 s. We will discuss the design and use of the SERENDIP IV system and future observing plans.     

Exobiology, SETI, von Neumann and geometric phase control

The central difficulties confronting us at present in exobiology are the problems of the physical forces which sustain three-dimensional organisms, i.e., how one dimensional systems with only nearest interaction and two dimensional ones with its regular vibrations results in an integrated three-dimensional functionality. For example, a human lung has a dimensionality of 2.9 and thus should be measured in m2.9. According to thermodynamics, the first life-like system should have a small number of degrees of freedom, so how can evolution, via cycles of matter, lead to intelligence and theoretical knowledge? Or, more generally, what mechanisms constrain and drive this evolution? We are now on the brink of reaching an understanding below the photon level, into the domain where quantum events implode to the geometric phase which maintains the history of a quantum object. Even if this would exclude point to point communication, it could make it possible to manipulate the molecular level from below, in the physical scale, and result in a new era of geometricised engineering. As such, it would have a significant impact on space exploration and exobiology.     

Risk and value analysis of SETI

This paper attempts to apply a traditional risk and value analysis to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence--SETI. In view of the difficulties of assessing the probability of success, a comparison is made between SETI and a previous search for extraterrestrial life, the biological component of Project Viking. Our application of simple Utility Theory, given some reasonable assumptions, suggests that SETI is at least as worthwhile as the biological experiment on Viking.     

The Genesis mission: unifying science and engineering

Design of the Genesis spacecraft mission was derived from top-down flow of a basic and highly challenging science requirement: obtain samples of solar matter of such high quality and low background that they would sustain investigations of chemical and isotopic composition of the solar system for the coming decades, and well into the 21^st Century. Within the framework of several dozen competing mission concepts for planetary exploration under NASA's Discovery program, Genesis needed to perform extremely high quality science (solar collection and sample return) for an affordable yet realistic level of effort. Key issues included preservation of collector cleanliness, avoidance of spacecraft-generated con-tamination, control of collector temperatures, simplicity of long-term operation, ability to efficiently reach the L1 operations point, reliability of avionics and other support systems, return to a specific landing locale on Earth, and provision for soft capture of the descent capsule via mid-air parachute snatch. Genesis is now in the final stages of spacecraft testing and system validation, the culmination of a highly interwoven effort to meet science objectives with innovative solutions that also satisfy engineering challenges for reliability, affordability, rapid development and a comprehensive test program. Genesis is scheduled for launch in February 2001.     

Responsibility,capability, and Active SETI: Policy,law, ethics,and communication with extraterrestrial intelligence

With recently growing interest in the Active Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), in which humankind would send intentional signals to extraterrestrial civilizations, there have been increased concerns about appropriate policy, as well as the role of space law and ethics in guiding such activities. Implicit in these discussions are notions of responsibility and capability that affect judgments about whether humans or other civilizations should initiate transmissions. Existing protocols that guide SETI research address transmissions from Earth, but there is debate over whether these guidelines should inform de novo transmissions as well. Relevant responsibilities to address include (1) looking out for the interests of humankind as a whole, (2) being truthful in interstellar messages, and (3) benefiting extraterrestrial civilizations. Our capabilities as a species and a civilization affect how well we can fulfill responsibilities, as seen when we consider whether we will be able to reach consensus about message contents (and whether that would be desirable), and whether we have the capacity to decode messages from beings that rely on different sensory modalities. The interplay of these responsibilities and capabilities suggests that humankind should place increased emphasis on Active SETI.     

The temporal aspect of the drake equation and SETI

We critically investigate some evolutionary aspects of the famous Drake equation, which is usually presented as the central guide for research on extraterrestrial intelligence. It is shown that the Drake equation tacitly relies on unverified assumptions on both the physicochemical history of our galaxy and the properties of advanced intelligent communities. In this manner, the conventional approach fails to take into account various evolutionary processes forming prerequisites for quantification of the Drake equation parameters. The importance of recent results of Lineweaver and collaborators on chemical build-up of inhabitable planets for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is emphasized. Two important evolutionary effects are briefly discussed, and the resolution of the difficulties within the context of the phase-transition astrobiological models is sketched.     

国防科技查新在航天工程实践中的应用探讨

文章从科技查新工作的内涵以及国防科技查新的意义和作用出发,结合航天工程实践中的查新实践,分析如何提高查新工作中的检索质量和效率,探讨科技查新在航天工程实践中的应用,介绍了常用的数据库资源,并对今后改进国防科技信息资源服务提出了思考和建议。     

Detection of antipodal signalling and its application to wideband SETI

The SETI community is becoming increasingly interested in extending its searches to include wideband signals, such as information-bearing beacons. However, prior to discovery of a target signal, a SETI receiver has no knowledge of the signal parameters (bandwidth, carrier frequency, modulation type, etc.) and so detection can be very challenging, especially at low signal-to-noise ratios. However, this paper shows by example that there exist signal classes and corresponding detection methods that permit straightforward discovery of wideband signals of unknown structure. The example given is a form of binary antipodal signalling that utilises spread-spectrum modulation, which offers benefits to the receiver in terms of immunity to noise/interference and ease of detection. The proposed detection method is a ‘symbol-wise’ autocorrelation process that takes advantage of the cyclostationarity property of modulated signals. Detection sensitivity is suboptimal in comparison with what is possible if the target signal structure is known. However, this deficit can be overcome by processing longer timespans of signal, providing scope for detection at extremely low signal-to-noise ratios. It is postulated that antipodal signalling represents an attractive option for interstellar beacons because it is both power efficient and there exists a simple complementary detection method not requiring explicit coordination between the transmitter and receiver. This in turn suggests there is a case for extending future SETI searches to include this class of signal.     

SETI meets a social intelligence: Dolphins as a model for real-time interaction and communication with a sentient species

In the past SETI has focused on the reception and deciphering of radio signals from potential remote civilizations. It is conceivable that real-time contact and interaction with a social intelligence may occur in the future. A serious look at the development of relationship, and deciphering of communication signals within and between a non-terrestrial, non-primate sentient species is relevant. Since 1985 a resident community of free-ranging Atlantic spotted dolphins has been observed regularly in the Bahamas. Life history, relationships, regular interspecific interactions with bottlenose dolphins, and multi-modal underwater communication signals have been documented. Dolphins display social communication signals modified for water, their body types, and sensory systems. Like anthropologists, human researchers engage in benign observation in the water and interact with these dolphins to develop rapport and trust. Many individual dolphins have been known for over 20 years. Learning the culturally appropriate etiquette has been important in the relationship with this alien society. To engage humans in interaction the dolphins often initiate spontaneous displays, mimicry, imitation, and synchrony. These elements may be emergent/universal features of one intelligent species contacting another for the intention of initiating interaction. This should be a consideration for real-time contact and interaction for future SETI work.     

The relative stability of belligerent and peaceful societies: implications for SETI

Although initially we will know virtually nothing about any society that our microwave search detects, in all likelihood their society will be far older than ours. It will have evolved mechanisms to ensure longevity. A pessimistic hypothesis would lead us to expect a powerful, aggressive and self-serving society that has vanquished all challengers. If this hypothesis were true, a response by us to their signal could be dangerous. An optimistic hypothesis, that it is the peaceful societies that survive, would lead us to expect a benign or even friendly civilization. If this second hypothesis were true, our response would gratify their scientific curiosity and perhaps lead to a useful exchange of information. Convergent evidence from the quantitative analyses of long-term historical trends and computer modeling support the optimistic hypothesis. Although not conclusive, this analysis suggests that revealing our presence in the Universe is a low risk activity.     

国内外复合固体推进剂燃速催化剂研究进展

综述了20世纪90年代前后复合固体推进剂燃速催化剂国内外研究进展情况,并重点介绍了近年来出现的纳米燃速催化剂及其对推进剂燃烧性能的影响。能产生协同效应的纳米复合型催化剂是目前的研究重点。集能量、键合、无烟、增塑、粘合功能的多功能燃速催化剂也成为复合固体推进剂燃速催化剂发展的重要方向。     

The transcension hypothesis: Sufficiently advanced civilizations invariably leave our universe,and implications for METI and SETI

The emerging science of evolutionary developmental (“evo devo”) biology can aid us in thinking about our universe as both an evolutionary system, where most processes are unpredictable and creative, and a developmental system, where a special few processes are predictable and constrained to produce far-future-specific emergent order, just as we see in the common developmental processes in two stars of an identical population type, or in two genetically identical twins in biology. The transcension hypothesis proposes that a universal process of evolutionary development guides all sufficiently advanced civilizations into what may be called "inner space," a computationally optimal domain of increasingly dense, productive, miniaturized, and efficient scales of space, time, energy, and matter, and eventually, to a black-hole-like destination. Transcension as a developmental destiny might also contribute to the solution to the Fermi paradox, the question of why we have not seen evidence of or received beacons from intelligent civilizations. A few potential evolutionary, developmental, and information theoretic reasons, mechanisms, and models for constrained transcension of advanced intelligence are briefly considered. In particular, we introduce arguments that black holes may be a developmental destiny and standard attractor for all higher intelligence, as they appear to some to be ideal computing, learning, forward time travel, energy harvesting, civilization merger, natural selection, and universe replication devices. In the transcension hypothesis, simpler civilizations that succeed in resisting transcension by staying in outer (normal) space would be developmental failures, which are statistically very rare late in the life cycle of any biological developing system. If transcension is a developmental process, we may expect brief broadcasts or subtle forms of galactic engineering to occur in small portions of a few galaxies, the handiwork of young and immature civilizations, but constrained transcension should be by far the norm for all mature civilizations.The transcension hypothesis has significant and testable implications for our current and future METI and SETI agendas. If all universal intelligence eventually transcends to black-hole-like environments, after which some form of merger and selection occurs, and if two-way messaging (a send–receive cycle) is severely limited by the great distances between neighboring and rapidly transcending civilizations, then sending one-way METI or probes prior to transcension becomes the only real communication option. But one-way messaging or probes may provably reduce the evolutionary diversity in all civilizations receiving the message, as they would then arrive at their local transcensions in a much more homogenous fashion. If true, an ethical injunction against one-way messaging or probes might emerge in the morality and sustainability systems of all sufficiently advanced civilizations, an argument known as the Zoo hypothesis in Fermi paradox literature, if all higher intelligences are subject to an evolutionary attractor to maximize their local diversity, and a developmental attractor to merge and advance universal intelligence. In any such environment, the evolutionary value of sending any interstellar message or probe may simply not be worth the cost, if transcension is an inevitable, accelerative, and testable developmental process, one that eventually will be discovered and quantitatively described by future physics. Fortunately, transcension processes may be measurable today even without good physical theory, and radio and optical SETI may each provide empirical tests. If transcension is a universal developmental constraint, then without exception all early and low-power electromagnetic leakage signals (radar, radio, television), and later, optical evidence of the exoplanets and their atmospheres should reliably cease as each civilization enters its own technological singularities (emergence of postbiological intelligence and life forms) and recognizes that they are on an optimal and accelerating path to a black-hole-like environment. Furthermore, optical SETI may soon allow us to map an expanding area of the galactic habitable zone we may call the galactic transcension zone, an inner ring that contains older transcended civilizations, and a missing planets problem as we discover that planets with life signatures occur at a much lower frequencies in this inner ring than in the remainder of the habitable zone.     

ENGage: The use of space and pixel art for increasing primary school children's interest in science,technology, engineering and mathematics

The Faculty of Engineering at The University of Nottingham, UK, has developed interdisciplinary, hands-on workshops for primary schools that introduce space technology, its relevance to everyday life and the importance of science, technology, engineering and maths. The workshop activities for 7–11 year olds highlight the roles that space and satellite technology play in observing and monitoring the Earth's biosphere as well as being vital to communications in the modern digital world. The programme also provides links to ‘how science works’, the environment and citizenship and uses pixel art through the medium of digital photography to demonstrate the importance of maths in a novel and unconventional manner.The interactive programme of activities provides learners with an opportunity to meet ‘real’ scientists and engineers, with one of the key messages from the day being that anyone can become involved in science and engineering whatever their ability or subject of interest. The methodology introduces the role of scientists and engineers using space technology themes, but it could easily be adapted for use with any inspirational topic.Analysis of learners’ perceptions of science, technology, engineering and maths before and after participating in ENGage showed very positive and significant changes in their attitudes to these subjects and an increase in the number of children thinking they would be interested and capable in pursuing a career in science and engineering. This paper provides an overview of the activities, the methodology, the evaluation process and results.     

How the science and engineering of spaceflight contribute to understanding the plasticity of spinal cord injury.

Space programs support experimental investigations related to the unique environment of space and to the technological developments from many disciplines of both science and engineering that contribute to space studies. Furthermore, interactions between scientists, engineers and administrators, that are necessary for the success of any science mission in space, promote interdiscipline communication, understanding and interests which extend well beyond a specific mission. NASA-catalyzed collaborations have benefited the spinal cord rehabilitation program at UCLA in fundamental science and in the application of expertise and technologies originally developed for the space program. Examples of these benefits include: (1) better understanding of the role of load in maintaining healthy muscle and motor function, resulting in a spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation program based on muscle/limb loading; (2) investigation of a potentially novel growth factor affected by spaceflight which may help regulate muscle mass; (3) development of implantable sensors, electronics and software to monitor and analyze long-term muscle activity in unrestrained subjects; (4) development of hardware to assist therapies applied to SCI patients; and (5) development of computer models to simulate stepping which will be used to investigate the effects of neurological deficits (muscle weakness or inappropriate activation) and to evaluate therapies to correct these deficiencies.     

As assessment of habitat pressure, oxygen fraction, and EVA suit design for space operations

At high cabin pressure [e.g. 1013 hPa (14.7 psi) 21% O2] there are serious issues relative to specification of suit pressure and the need for prebreathing. A high pressure suit will be costly but use of the existing, flexible suit requires up to 6 h of prebreathing. Or one could use a cabin pressure of 700 hPa (10.2 psi) prior to extravehicular activity (EVA) in order to use the existing suit with only 1 h of prebreathing. If these normal cabin pressures and O2 levels are utilized, existing physiological and medical databases apply, providing a known basis for evaluating effects of long duration space missions. If a 345 hPa (5 psi), 70-100% O2 atmosphere is adopted the existing suit can be used with no prebreathing required. However, there is no reference database on physiological effects under the conditions of lower pressure and higher O2 concentration. This paper considers the major issues involved in defining habitat pressure, O2 fraction, and EVA suit design for operations in space. A preliminary model for evaluating habitat/suit pressure and O2% strategies is presented.