Declaration of Principles Concerning Activities
Following the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence
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 and 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
Committee of 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.
Adopted by the
International Academy of Astronautics,
1989
