The Phoenix Project Of SETI Institute

SETI (The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) - a non profit research institution which deals with exploring, understanding and explaining the source and form of life in the cosmos and applying the understanding gained to steer humanity carried out the Phoenix project from 1995 February to March 2004. The aim of the project was to look for extraterrestrial intelligence. It relied on analysis of observed radio patterns to make conclusions. The funds for the project were raised privately.

Where the project took place.

It started in Australia where the Parkes Radio Telescope (the biggest telescope in southern hemisphere) is located. About 200 stars that cannot be viewed from the northern hemisphere telescopes were observed in sixteen weeks.

From the September of 1996 to April of 1998, the Phoenix project observed from USA at the National Radio astronomy located in Green Bank of Pocahontas county in West Virginia. Project phoenix made use of the antenna that was used in project Ozma by Frank Drake since it is just a short distance away. Phoenix made fifty percent use of the telescope and fifty percent use of the antennae over the period.

Project Phoenix shifted to Arebico in August of 1988. It utilized the largest telescope in the world, being able to observe two times in a year (three to four weeks each time) due to the telescope's high demand. To minimize the high radio interference in daytime, the Phoenix Project team carried out observations at night. This also minimized interference of each star's line of sight by the storms of solar wind.

How the Search took place.

Project Phoenix focused on observation of nearby stars using some of the world's most powerful telescopes that guaranteed high sensitivity to weak signals for any indications of communication technology. Stars in the microwave region that lies in the electromagnetic spectrum of 1200-3000 MHz were analyzed. To examine as many as possible channels in each target star, the spectrum was broken into narrow channels that were 1 Hz wide. The collected data was processed immediately and follow ups made on candidate signals. To eliminate most terrestrial interference, two telescopes that are far apart were used. The project involved monitoring of millions of channels concurrently which was performed by computers while the astronomers made key decisions about signals of interest.

The phoenix Project by SETI analyzed 800 stars that are within 240 light years comprehensively. It is the most successful project that SETI has undertaken to date. The Phoenix project did not find any Extra-Terrestrial (ET) signal hence concluding that was no life in the surrounding stars that were examined.

The Journey To Mars - NASA

NASA operates as an independent agency, however, it is a branch of the executive. It has grown in leaps and bounds over the years since it was established in 1958 by president Eisenhower. NASA has staged pioneering missions and projects to the moon and back through the Apollo program. The program ran from 1961 to 1972 and still remains one of NASA's greatest success stories. Currently, NASA is planning to send humans to Mars and an asteroid by developing advanced technology. Extensive research is being carried out ranging from fuel and propulsion systems to human survival in space.

The Journey To Mars

NASA has plans to have the first humans on Mars by 2030. However, the main question is how to get there successfully. Mars is approximately 225 million kilometers away, and therefore, NASA must develop viable technology to get there. Currently, NASA is developing some of the most advanced space crafts and rocket systems ever designed.

The Orion Spacecraft will carry 4 astronauts beyond the moon. The spacecraft will be launched from Florida on board the space launch system. Furthermore, NASA is also working on an Asteroid Redirect mission that is intended to redirect a near earth asteroid into stable orbit around the moon. It is expected that by 2020, astronauts will have the opportunity to explore the asteroid and return with samples. These samples will be further analyzed for their chemical properties. This will create a basis to further understand what could be expected from Mars.

The International Space Station plays a major role in the research involving the journey to Mars. Human beings spend up to 6 months there where they are studied and observed. The International Space Station has opened up opportunities which have helped to understand physical/biological sciences and space. The International Space Station has enabled scientists to understand how humans can thrive in space for long missions to Mars and beyond. This has helped in developing precaution measures that will protect humans from exposure to ultraviolet rays, and lack of gravity. Research on life support systems and human-robotic interfaces is also being carried out in the International Space Station.

In terms of technology, NASA is working on new and innovative technologies that will make the journey to Mars easier. The technology being developed by NASA is intended to provide solutions that promote exploration. Some of this technology includes solar electric propulsion and cryogenic storage tanks made out of composite materials. One can not help but notice the immense effort that NASA is putting into the Mars program. The development of cutting edge technology through extensive research will surely bear fruit. At this rate, without any doubt, the first men could walk on Mars by 2030.