Project Cyclops, A Design... - Department of Earth and Planetary ...

FOREWORD
In addition to the findings of the Cyclops summer
study, this report contains much tutorial material added
for the benefit of those readers unacquainted with the
subjects of exobiology and interstellar communication.
This introductory material is found in Chapters 2, 3, and
4 and parts of Chapters 5 and 6. These chapters may be
omitted or skimmed by readers already familiar with the
subject. Parts of Chapters 5 and 6 together with
Chapters 8 through 14 contain the main results of the
summer study. Chapter 7 is a condensed description of
the Cyclops system, while Chapter 15 presents some
conclusions and recommendations that are the consensus
of the System Design Group but do not necessarily
reflect the unanimous opinion of all the fellows.
In my opinion, the major contributions of this study
are:
1. The reaffirmation of the microwave window as the
2.
3.
4.
most suitable part of the spectrum for interstellar
communication and search.
The identification of a particularly likely band in
the microwave window.
The design of a data processing system capable of
simultaneous search of at least half of this band
and the detection of coherent signals 90 dB below
the total noise power in the band.
The design of an improved local oscillator distribution
system, an IF transmission and delay system,
and low-noise remotely tunable receivers that
appear to guarantee the feasibility and practicality
of an array with several square miles of collecting
area.
5. The identification and estimation of the major
costs of a search system and program.
Taken together, these contributions indicate that we now
have the technological capability of mounting an effective
search for extraterrestrial intelligent life. Before any
major commitment is made in this direction a great deal
of additional study should be devoted to all aspects of
the problem. It is hoped that this report can serve as a
basis for that further study.
Although the editing of some sections and the writing
of other sections of this report have consumed all my
spare time for several months since the summer program
formally ended last August, I have found the effort both
fascinating and challenging. I only regret that I did not
have the time nor skill to do a better job, and I must ask
the reader to be forgiving of inconsistencies, poor
organization, and errors that have eluded me.
Finally I want to express my gratitude to Hans Mark,
Director of Ames Research Center and to John Billingham,
Chief of the Biotechnology Division, for having
conceived the idea of a summer engineering systems
design study on this subject, and for having invited me
to participate. I am also grateful to Hewlett-Packard for
granting me a leave of absence and for excusing many
hours devoted to the program both before and after. The
summer experience was in itself exciting and rewarding,
but if the Cyclops report stimulates further study that
results in a full-scale search, I shall consider this to have
been the most important year of my life.
Preceding pageblank
Bernard
M. Oliver