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Project Cyclops : a Design Study of a System for Detecting ^^^^m•i.j . --f'v.i^ "^y^-!^ A Design Study of a System for Detecting Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life '• >..-, i,C%' PREPARED UNDER STANFORD /NASA /AMES RESEARCH CENTER >J^1t> 1971 SUMMER FACULTY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IN ENGINEERING SYSTEMS DESIGr CR 114445 (Revised Edition 7/73) Available to the public rB' ^ A Design Study of a System for Detecting Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life PREPARED UNDER STANFORD/ NASA/AMES RESEARCH CENTER 1971 SUMMER FACULTY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IN ENGINEERING SYSTEMS DESIGN Further copies of this report may be obtained by writing to Dr. John Billingham NASA/ Ames Research Center, Code LT Moffett Field, California 94035 weixesunr colligc LWRART CYCLOPS PEOPLE Co-Directors: Bernard M. Oliver Stanford University (Summer appointment) John Billingham Ames Research Center, NASA System Design and Advisory Group: James Adams Stanford University Edwin L. Duckworth San Francisco City College Charles L. Seeger New Mexico State University George Swenson University of Illinois Antenna Structures Group: Lawrence S. Hill California State College L.A. John Minor New Mexico State University Ronald L. Sack University of Idaho Harvey B. Sharfstein San Jose State College Pennsylvania Alan 1. Soler University of Receiver Group: Washington Ward J. Helms University of William Hord Southern Illinois University Pierce Johnson University of Missouri C. ReedPredmore Rice University Transmission and Control Group: Marvin Siegel Michigan State University Jon A. Soper Michigan Technological University Henry J. Stalzer, Jr. Cooper Union Signal Processing Group: Jonnie B. Bednar University of Tulsa Douglas B. Brumm Michigan Technological University James H. Cook Cleveland State University Robert S. Dixon Ohio State University Johnson Luh Purdue University Francis Yu Wayne State University /./ la J C, /o ) •»• < . i' 'n At this very minute, with almost absokite certainty, radio waves sent forth by other intelligent civilizations are falling on the earth. A telescope can be built that, pointed in the right place, and tuned to the right frequency, could discover these waves. Someday, from somewhere out among the stars, will come the answers to many of the oldest, most important, and most exciting questions mankind has asked. —Frank D. Drake, (Intelligent Life in Space The MacMillan Co. Sp 5 ^1 Si s a. 3 5 5j > tv . FOREWORD In addition to the findings of the Cyclops summer 5. The identification and estimation of the major study, this report contains much tutorial material added costs of a search system and program. for the benefit of those readers unacquainted with the Taken together, these contributions indicate that we now subjects of exobiology and interstellar communication. have the technological capability of mounting an effective This introductory material is found in Chapters 2, 3, and search for extraterrestrial intelligent Hfe. Before any 4 and parts of Chapters 5 and 6. These chapters may be major commitment is made in this direction a great deal omitted or skimmed by readers already familiar with the of additional study should be devoted to all aspects of subject. Parts of Chapters 5 and 6 together with the problem. It is hoped that this report can serve as a Chapters 8 through 14 contain the main results of the basis for that further study. summer study. Chapter 7 is a condensed description of Although the editing of some sections and the writing the Cyclops system, while Chapter 15 presents some of other sections of this report have consumed all my conclusions and recommendations that are the consensus spare time for several months since the summer program of the System Design Group but do not necessarily formally ended last August, I have found the effort both refiect the unanimous opinion of all the fellows. fascinating and challenging. 1 only regret that I did not In my opinion, the major contributions of this study have the time nor skill to do a better job, and I must ask are: the reader to be forgiving of inconsistencies, poor 1 The reaffirmation of the microwave window as the organization, and errors that have eluded me. most suitable part of the spectrum for interstellar Finally I want to express my gratitude to Hans Mark, communication and search. Director of Ames Research Center and to John Billing- 2. The identification of a particularly likely band in ham, Chief of the Biotechnology Division, for having the microwave window. conceived the idea of a summer engineering systems 3. The design of a data processing system capable of design study on this subject, and for having invited me simultaneous search of at least half of this band to participate. I am also grateful to Hewlett-Packard for and the detection of coherent signals 90 dB below granting me a leave of absence and for excusing many the total noise power in the band. hours devoted to the program both before and after. The 4. The design of an improved local oscillator distribu- summer experience was in itself exciting and rewarding, tion system, an IF transmission and delay system, but if the Cyclops report stimulates further study that and low-noise remotely tunable receivers that results in a full-scale search, I shall consider this to have appear to guarantee the feasibility and practicality been the most important year of my life. of an array with several square miles of collecting area. Bernard M. Oliver ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Cyclops study was greatly assisted and enriched Low Noise Microwave Receivers— M4f//er //. Higa, Jet by the informative and often inspirational contributions Propulsion Laboratory of a large number of people over and above those listed Signal Processing in Radar Astronomy—/?/c/zarc;? Gold- as participants. The opening lecture series, listed below, stein, Jet Propulsion Laboratory was particularly valuable in stimulating the group and Advanced Radar Exploration of the Solar System— acquainting the Fellows with the latest developments in Gordon H. Pettingill, Massachusetts Institute of the technologies involved in large array design. Technology PROJECT CYCLOPS SEMINAR SERIES: Microwave Ground Antennas for Higli Efficiency Low Noise Performance—/)..4. Bathker, Jet Propul- Wliat Cyclops Might See-Philip Morrison, Massachu- sion Laboratory setts Institute of Technoloi^ Array Configurations for Gathering and Processing The Cyclops Concept -fl.Af. Oliver, Hewlett-Faclmrd Y>2iidL—Joseph Goodman, Stanford University Design Constraints on Angle Pointing and Tracking Astronomical Cosmological Value of a Performance of Large Antennas—^.7. Wallace, Jet Radio and Propulsion Laboratory Very Large Array-Martin Rees, Cambridge Univer- sity Large Orbital Antennas with Filled Apertures-//. In addition to the scheduled series, the group heard talks Schuerch, Astro Research Corporation by S.M. Katow of Jet Propulsion Laboratories and Electronics System for a Very Large Array—Sander Herbert Weiss of Lincoln Laboratories. These contrib- Weinreb, National Radio Astronomy Observatory uted further valuable inputs on antenna design. Many private contributed consulting help. In particular Design Concepts of the Stanford Five Element firms Non-Redundant Array—Ronald Bracewell, Radio Robert Markevitch of the Ampex Corporation and Robert Hall of the Rohr Corporation were of great Astronomy Institute, Stanford University assistance. Radio Astronomy Instrumentation Needs—David S. The Cyclops team wishes to acknowledge this support Heeschen, National Radio Astronomy Observatory and to thank all those who participated for their Some New Design Principles for Large Radio Tele- professional help. scopes—5. von Hoerner, National Radio Astronomy In addition we would be remiss if we did not Observatory acknowledge the hours of overtime work by Marilyn Chinn and Lorraine Welk who typed the final and earlier Large Ground Antennas for Space Communication— versions of this report. Any future job they may have Earl Lewis. Philco-Ford Corporation will seem peaceful and simple by comparison. Finally we Large Antenna Structures— PV(7//aw D. Merrick, Jet wish to thank the graphics department at Ames for the Propulsion Laboratory skillful rendering of this report and for the innumerable Radio Astronomy in NASA-M/Z/aw E. Brunk, Na- slides and drawings they prepared for earlier drafts and tional Aeronautics and Space Administration for our final briefing session. VI TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Cyclops People ii Foreword v Acknowledgements vi Chapter: 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE 3 Converging disciplines Origin and evolution of matter Galactic evolution and stellar populations Stellar characteristics and evolution Formation and evolution of planetary systems Atmospheric evolution Ecospheres and good suns The origin of life Biological evolution Cultural evolution and development of intelligence Civilization, science and technology Concatenated probabilities The number of coexisting advanced civilizations The probability of interstellar communication References 3 SOME REASONS FOR THE SEARCH 29 Continuing adventure Bio-cosmology Our galactic heritage Possible hazards of contact 4 POSSIBLE METHODS OF CONTACT 33 Interstellar travel Interstellar probes Serendipitous contact Interstellar communication alternatives References 5 COMMUNICATION BY ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES 37 Antenna gain and directivity Tire free space transmission law Noise in coherent receivers Coherent detection and matched filtering Noise in energy detection The microwave window Star noise vii COMMUNICATION BY ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES (cont.) Range limits Comparison of several interstellar links Communication rate
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