Alien Hunter Jodie Foster Helps to Revive SETI
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute has raised enough money in order to keep its search for aliens funded at least until the end of the year.
After being forced to shut down operation of the Allen Telescope Array earlier this year due to lack of funds, SETI was able to raise a whopping $200,000 in just 45 days.
Two-thousand private donors bestowed funds to the SETI Stars program, including actress Jodie Foster, famous for her role as SETI scientist Ellie Arroway in the 1997 movie "Contact."
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With the ATA; a collection of 42, 20-foot-wide radio dishes located, at Hat Creek Radio Observatory in Northern California, up and running once more, it will be able to continue its observation of the skies.
"Just like Ellie Arroway, the ATA is 'good to go' and we need to return it to the task of searching newly discovered planetary worlds for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence," Foster wrote in statement that accompanied her donation.
"The Allen Telescope Array could turn science fiction into science fact, but only if it is actively searching the skies."
SETI senior astronomer, Seth Shostak says that he was surprised, but elated at all the support the program has received, especially since, despite the steadfast beliefs of many, extraterrestrial exploration is a questionable venture.
"For me it's the general public - the fact that people are willing to reach into their wallets to pay for a voyage of exploration that might or might not succeed," he told SPACE.com. "SETI, despite the fact that it's an uncertain bit of exploration with no guarantee of success, people find it interesting."
Among other notable donators were science fiction writer Larry Niven and Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders. With his donation, Ander's stated, "It is absolutely irresponsible of the human race not to be searching for evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence."
While SETI has enough funds to keep it operating for at least five months, further funding is required to keep the project open long term. SETI CEO, Tom Pierson is looking toward the U.S. Air Force to provide such long-term funding, suggesting that the military branch could use the ATA during the daylight hours "to track orbital objects that otherwise might pose a threat to the International Space Station and other satellites.”
