The Planetary Report) of Barney Weapons) to Produce Caweo's DIANE ACKERMAN Poet and Author I Will Be Married in May
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On the Cover: Volume XVI The Search for Extraterrestrial lnteli igence is based on the Table of Number 3 assumption that intellig en ce of a technological sort has arisen on more than one pl anet in our galaxy. On 'Earth, Contents May/June 1996 some forms of life exhibit intelli gence ; others do not. Ravens have been seen maki ng and using tools; mush rooms and algae have not. Dolphi ns, like humans, have evolved a compl ex language, and bonobos display many behaviors remarkably similar to human activiti es. But of Features all the life-forms that have come and gone on Earth, only 4 The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: one has bu ilt rad io telescopes to liste n for signals from Scientific Quest or Hopeful Folly? other life-forms. The likelihood of a similar life-form A Debate BetlNeen Ernst Mayr and Carl Sagan existi ng on another planet is a topic for lively debate. Does extraterrestrial intelligence exist? It's a question that provokes vociferous debate and Photos: Clockwise from left: Diana L. Stratton, David M. Denn is, Randy Morse, Mi ke Bacon and Roy Toft (all Tom Stack & Associates) . regularly generates headlines in supermarket tabloids. It's also a question that science can Bottom: Seth Shostak address, and two distinguished practitioners present opposing sides of the debate. 14 NelN Eyes for Mars: Testing Calneras for the Mars '96 Mission Have you ever wondered how an earthly landscape might look through a spacecraft's eyes? Frotn The cameras for the Mars '96 spacecraft have been tested, giving us the opportunity to preview the system that will soon be showing us the landscape of the Red Planet. The 16 Fly to Saturn With Cassin;; Editor Society Melnbers Invited Along At The Planetary Society, we try to provide our members with every possible opportunity to participate in missions to other worlds. In this case, we are helping the Jet Propulsion hen, you might ask, is The Laboratory, as well as giving you the chance to fly to Saturn. W Planetary Report planning to cover the results of the Galileo probe mission? After all, the probe plunged Departtnents into Jupiter's atmosphere last December. The simple answer is this: when the 3 Melnbers" Dialogue We recently received a letter from a New Millennium Committee member that genuinely results are ready. But that might not be touched the staff at headquarters; we share it here with all Society members. Plus, we so simple to understand, and it has to discuss credit where credit is due, Society Advisor Barney Oliver and defense cutbacks. do with tht:< way most media report on planetary missions. 17 World Watch Typically, reporters cover exciting The Russian-led Mars '96 mission is being prepared for launch, as are NASA's Mars events, like spacecraft flybys and probe Pathfinder and Global Surveyor. A Russian experiment, with the Society-supported Mars plunges, and lose interest in the pains Microphone, will fly on the Mars Surveyor lander. And NASA's budget problems continue. taking data analysis that provides the real value from planetary exploration. 18 NelNs and RevielNs At press conferences, they pepper the Our faithful columnist covers two newsworthy objects: Comet Hyakutake has reminded people scientists with questions, demanding to that our solar system is a dynamic and exciting place. But Pluto, poor Pluto-it's yet to be know What It All Means. They don't visited by a spacecraft and people are already trying to downgrade it from planet status. hear the cautions against putting too much stock in instant science. Then, 19 Society NelNs when scientists change their minds, Here are more opportunities to get involved with Society events and activities. no one hears the new, truer story. That is what we hope to present here. 20 Questions and AnslNers Scientists are even now revising their We bring you a special edition ofthis column, devoted entirely to telling time. analyses of Galileo results. These Editor"s Note: analyses are different from those initially Basics of Spaceflight is on a brief hiatus. It will return in our July/August issue. reported in the popular press. You'll soon see the revised picture of Jupiter in our pages. We hope you'll find this more valuable than reports rushed into Contact Us , print too soon. Maili ng Address: The Planetary SOCiety, 65 North Catalina Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91106-2301 - Charlene M. Anderson General Calls: 818-793-5100 Sales Calls Only: 81 8-793-1675 E-mail: tps @genie.geis.com World Wide Web Home Page: http://planetary.org/tps/ ~~~~~~CAR~r,36~~~,?~~t~~~~§ ;sog~ ~lii;h:~a~~f;i~yr:~~be~~ i~f rf~~f~faenSef!~hs~~~~~A~~;li~~e~~nN~~huCSa~~~n$2~venue, (US dollars); in Canada, $35 (Canadian dollars) . Dues in other countries are $40 (US dollars). Printed in USA. Third-class postage al Pasadena, Califo rn ia, and al an additional mailing office. Canada Post Agreement Number 87424. , Editor. CHARLENE M. ANDERSON Technical Editor, JAMES D. BURKE THEAPUb"~'_" PLANET. V SOCIETY A ssistant Editor, DONNA ESCANDON STEVENS Copy Editor, GLORIA JOYCE Produc tion Editor, MI CHAEL HAGGERTY A rt Director, BARBARA S. SMITH o • 0 -6--e- cp -B- 0 Vi ewpoints expressed in columns or editorials are those of th e authors and do not necessarily represent positions of The Planetary Society, its officers or advisors. © 1996 by The Planetary Society. o Board of D i rectors CARL SAGAN Members' President Director, Laboratory for Planetary Studies, Cornell University Dialogue BRUCE MURRAY Vice President Professor of Pfanetary Science, California Institute of Technology LOUIS FRIEOMAN Executive Director Responsibilities Editor's note: New Millennium dollars, has been a major contribu NORMAN R. AUGUSTI NE President, Thank you for the invitation to join Committee membership is open to tor to NASA's programs. When it Lockheed Martin Corporation the New Millennium Committee. those who contribute $500.00 or was discovered that the region JOSEPH RYAN Executive Vice President and My acceptance form is enclosed. more to the Society each year. around Jupiter presented radiation Generaf Counsel, Marriott International I agonized for two days over this hazards to electronic instruments, STEVEN SPIELBERG director and producer decision. This is a significant Barney Oliver NASA relied on Sandia's expertise LAUREL L WI LKENING expenditure for me, and I wrote I learned with great sadness (from in radiation-hardened electronics Chancel/or, University of California, Irvine out a long list of other uses, some my January/February 1996 issue of (originally developed for nuclear Board of Advisors personally urgent, for the money. The Planetary Report) of Barney weapons) to produce CaWeo's DIANE ACKERMAN poet and author I will be married in May. My Oliver's death. Barney was a per computer chips. When NASA BUZZ ALDRIN fiancee and I are selling a house sonal friend whose opinions I have engineers needed parachute and Apollo 11 astronaut RICHARO BERENDZEN under distress circumstances. Two always held in the highest regard. air-bag design for Mars Pathfinder, educator and astrophysicist teenage girls have to be educated When I saw him last June, he was they came to Sandia for its exper JACQUES BLAMONT Chief Scientist, Centre National in an increasingly competitive still working on the Search for tise, again developed originally d'Etudes Spatiales, France workplace. I could go on. Extraterrestrial Intelligence at his to support the nuclear weapons RAY BRAOBURY poet and author Then a realization struck me. office in Mountain View. At that program. ARTHUR C. CLARKE Nations of the world find them time, he expressed great sadness I also believe that convincing author CORNELIS DE JAGER selves allocating scarce resources and profound disappointment as he Congress of anything hinges on Professor of Space Research, The Astronomical Institute at Utrecht, and making tough choices. As an recognized that he would not see the issue's direct effect on reelec the Netherlands individual, I am in a similarly SET! succeed during his lifetime. tion potential and voter support. FRANK ORAKE Professor of Astronomy and AstrophYSiCS, underfunded and leaky boat. I Although Barney's body was weak The Planetary Society must find University of California, Santa Cruz JOHN GARDN ER cali make personal decisions for and required more and more of his a way to make the case to voters founder, Common Cause myself. The Society, however, immediate attention, his spirit was that space equals jobs. Once voters MARC GARNEAU represents my best hope for influ still on full alert. begin to clamor for federally Canadian astronaut GEORGI Y GOLITSYN encing governments. I grieve not only for myself, funded space projects, members Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences Few opportunities arise within but for all space-minded people, of Congress will respond or risk THEODORE M. HESBURGH PreSident Emeritus, a lifetime for individuals to make and especially for my fellow losing their seats in Washington. University of Notre Dame a culturally significant difference. SET! followers, at the loss of -PAUL KLARER, SH IRLEY M. HUFSTEDLER Equally important, I am convinced our strongest advocate and ally. Albuquerque, New Mexico educator and jurist GARRY E. HUNT that our sense of personal self My heart goes out to all of those space scientist, United Kingdom worth never rises higher than when close to Barney. Proper Credit SERGEI KAPITSA Institute for. Physical Problems, we reach up outside of our own -JOE WEBB, West Melton, Your MarchiApril 1996 issue is RussIan Academy of Sciences GEN . OONALO J. KUTYNA (RET.) self-centered considerations and Christchurch, New Zealand excellent, as always. I really enjoy former Commander, US Space Command "do the right thing." Lofty poten being a member of an organization JOHN M.