We, the institutions and individuals participating in the
search for extraterrestrial intelligence,
Recognizing that the search for extraterrestrial intelligence
is an integral part of space exploration and is being undertaken
for peaceful purposes and for the common interest of all
mankind,
Inspired by the profound significance for mankind of detecting
evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence, even though the
probability of detection may be low,
Recalling the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities
of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space,
Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, which commits
States Parties to that Treaty "to inform the Secretary General
of the United Nations as well as the public and
the international scientific community, to the greatest extent
feasible and practicable, of the nature, conduct, locations and
results" of their space exploration activities (Article XI),
Recognizing that any initial detection may be incomplete or
ambiguous and thus require careful examination as well as
confirmation, and that it is essential to maintain the highest
standards of scientific responsibility and credibility,
Agree to observe the following principles for
disseminating information about the detection of
extraterrestrial intelligence:
Any individual,
public or private research institution, or governmental
agency that believes it has detected a signal from or other
evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence (the
discoverer) should seek to verify that the most plausible
explanation for the evidence is the existence of
extraterrestrial intelligence rather than some other natural
phenomenon or anthropogenic phenomenon before making any
public announcement. If the evidence cannot be confirmed as
indicating the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence,
the discoverer may disseminate the information as
appropriate to the discovery of any unknown phenomenon.
Prior to making
a public announcement that evidence of extraterrestrial
intelligence has been detected, the discoverer should
promptly inform all other observers or research
organizations that are parties to this declaration, so that
those other parties may seek to confirm the discovery by
independent observations at other sites and so that a
network can be established to enable continuous monitoring
of the signal or phenomenon. Parties to this declaration
should not make any public announcement of this information
until it is determined whether this information is or is not
credible evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial
intelligence. The discoverer should inform his/her or its
relevant national authorities.
After concluding
that the discovery appears to be credible evidence of
extraterrestrial intelligence, and after informing other
parties to this declaration, the discoverer should inform
observers throughout the world through the Central Bureau
for Astronomical Telegrams of the International
Astronomical Union, and should inform the Secretary
General of the United Nations in accordance
with Article XI of the Treaty on Principles Governing the
Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer
Space, Including the Moon and Other Bodies. Because of their
demonstrated interest in and expertise concerning the
question of the existence of extraterrestrial
intelligence, the discoverer should simultaneously
inform the following international institutions of
the discovery and should provide them with all pertinent
data and recorded information concerning the evidence:
the
International Telecommunication Union
the
Committee on Space Research, of the International
Council of Scientific Unions
the
International Astronautical Federation
the
International Academy of Astronautics
the
International Institute of Space Law
Commission
51 of the International Astronomical Union
Commission J
of the International Radio Science Union
A confirmed
detection of extraterrestrial intelligence should be
disseminated promptly, openly, and widely through scientific
channels and public media, observing the procedures in this
declaration. The discoverer should have the privilege of
making the first public announcement.
All data
necessary for confirmation of detection should be made
available to the international scientific community through
publications, meetings, conferences, and other appropriate
means.
The discovery
should be confirmed and monitored and any data bearing on
the evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence should
be recorded and stored permanently to the greatest extent
feasible and practicable, in a form that will make it
available for further analysis and interpretation. These
recordings should be made available to the international
institutions listed above and to members of the scientific
community for further objective analysis and interpretation.
If the evidence
of detection is in the form of electromagnetic signals,
the parties to this declaration should seek international
agreement to protect the appropriate frequencies by
exercising procedures available through the International
Telecommunication Union. Immediate notice should be sent to
the Secretary General of the ITU in Geneva,
who may include a request to minimize transmissions on the
relevant frequencies in the Weekly Circular. The
Secretariat, in conjunction with advice of the Union's
Administrative Council, should explore the feasibility and
utility of convening an Extraordinary Administrative Radio
Conference to deal with the matter, subject to the opinions
of the member Administrations of the ITU.
No response to a
signal or other evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence
should be sent until appropriate international consultations
have taken place. The procedures for such consultations will
be the subject of a separate agreement, declaration or
arrangement.
The SETI
Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics,
in coordination with Commission 51 of the
International Astronomical Union, will conduct a continuing
review of procedures for the detection of extraterrestrial
intelligence and the subsequent handling of the data. Should
credible evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence be
discovered, an international committee of scientists and
other experts should be established to serve as a focal
point for continuing analysis of all observational evidence
collected in the aftermath of the discovery, and also to
provide advice on the release of information to the public.
This committee should be constituted from representatives of
each of the international institutions listed above and such
other members as the committee may deem necessary. To
facilitate the convocation of such a committee at some
unknown time in the future, the SETI Committeeof the International Academy of Astronautics should
initiate and maintain a current list of willing
representatives from each of the international institutions
listed above, as well as other individuals with relevant
skills, and should make that list continuously available
through the Secretariat of the International Academy of
Astronautics. The International Academy of Astronautics will
act as the Depository for this declaration and will annually
provide a current list of parties to all the parties to this
declaration.
The "Declaration
of Principles Concerning Activities Following the
Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence" was
developed over a period of several years by the
SETI Committee of the International Academy of
Astronautics, with the assistance of many
experts interested in this question.
In
April of 1989, it was approved:
by
the Board of Trustees of the Academy and also
by
the Board of Directors of the International
Institute of Space Law.
Over
the next three years, it was endorsed:
by
the Committee on Space Research
by
the International Astronomical Union
by
the members of Commission J of the Union Radio
Scientifique Internationale