The National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (Nicap)

# Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0

In addition to putting existing tracking equipment to work to help provide a final solution to the UFO problem, precedents exist which would make civilian participation feasible (and desirable in restoring confidence that the problem is receiving serious attention and is being adequately investigated). A program, which NICAP could organize to supplement the investigation, could be patterned after the Ground Observer Corps aircraft spotting and Moonwatch satellite tracking networks - manned by civilian volunteers. Minimum standards of experience and/or training could be established. A Moonwatch telescope grid, sound detection equipment, field investigation units, etc., could be manned 24 hours a day.

If existing government and military facilities, combined with a civilian volunteer network, were coordinated in a positive effort to gather and evaluate reliable data, this would be a crucial scientific experiment. The data gathered very likely would prove or disprove the reality of UFOs as a unique phenomenon. Regardless of what the answer proved to be, the data no doubt would be extremely useful to science (atmospheric physics, meteorology, etc.) and national defense (a constant watch on the sky, and no doubt - with experience - ability to more rapidly identify and weed out reported phenomena which are not enemy weapons).

Politically, it would be necessary to examine and review the current UFO program and to take any action or pass any legislation necessary to give a legal foundation to this, or a similar program designed to end the UFO controversy and establish the facts.

## Contact and Communication

As we come nearer to making manned space voyages, the question of communicating with extraterrestrials takes on increasing importance. NICAP therefore endorses such programs as an enlarged Project Ozma (attempt to intercept intelligent communications from space), and studies of the language system of porpoises as a model for efforts to translate the language of alien beings.

In general, a great deal more thought should be given to such questions as Space Law; moral questions such as raised in the Justice Department letter involving behavior toward extraterrestrial beings; and problems raised by the increasing likelihood of eventual contact with extraterrestrial societies.

By our standards, these societies might be "advanced" or "backwards" technologically, politically, morally, or any combination of these parameters. In some cases, physical and intellectual contact might be disastrous, either to our society or theirs. In other cases, contact might be unilaterally or mutually beneficial. Some might lead to interplanetary war, others to association with extremely intelligent and wise beings who could help us solve our problems of war, hunger and ignorance. In short, the possibilities are endless. But they are well worth exploring for many reasons -- including the possibility that the first such contact may be imminent.

## Detection of UFOs

Dr. James C. Bartlett, Jr., (experienced amateur astronomer, member of Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers) a NICAP Adviser, was asked to suggest ways in which scientists might be able to determine the extent and nature of UFO activity:

"It seems to me that an important first step would be a willingness to recognize the UFO problem for what it really is, namely a universally reported phenomenon for which an impartial scientific investigation is required. . .

"Now the primary objection to UFO reports, as most scientists think of such things, is that the raw data almost never permit of measurement. It should be carefully noted, however, that this is not the same as saying that the data are therefore worthless as evidence; though such is the position commonly taken by those scientists who reject them. Rather it is to be expected as the necessary consequence of chance sightings which are completely unpredictable as to time and place.

"Scientists could make a real contribution therefore by working in collaboration with a program designed to eliminate the element

of surprise, and at the same time provide means of measuring apparent position, size, and velocity, and especially parallax. Such a program is entirely feasible, though admittedly difficult.

"The suggested technique is the division of the celestial sphere into sectors, each sector to be assigned to a team of qualified observers who would keep watch over their sector for a specified period of time each day or night. Instrumentation adequate to the task might consist of high power prism binoculars, a theodolite, a 3-inch refractor using a straight view with erecting eyepiece, a camera, and a magnetic compass.

"The source of observing personnel, it is suggested, is to be found in the more or less worldwide distribution of astronomical societies and groups which are quite capable of furnishing both the instrumentation and observers qualified to make the necessary measurements. Moreover, memberships are sufficiently large to make the personnel problem manageable.

"Ideally, a 24-hour patrol of all sectors covering 360 degrees of the celestial sphere is indicated; but in practice this would be impossible. Consequently, many UFOs could still go undetected; but in any sustained program of regular observation, as outlined above, it is certain that some would be 'caught' and the required measurements obtained.

"The work of professional observatories then would be to scientifically evaluate the measured data, which could hardly be rejected on the commonly assigned ground of vagueness. Perhaps a given professional group could act as evaluation center for the entire project in any given country.

"Such a program is feasible, though it will require immense labor to set up; but certainly the game is worth the candle. It might or might not discover what UFOs really are; but at minimum it could certainly determine what they are not. We could at least hope to be relieved of the profoundly learned nonsense which hitherto has characterized alleged "scientific" evlauations, and which thinks it quite natural that experienced airline pilots should mistake a mirage for a cigar-shaped craft with lighted cabins and jet exhaust."

Discussing ways in which we might attempt to detect extraterrestrial life, Prof.Ronald Bracewell, Stanford University radioastronomer, "suggests that the nearest [intelligent] community may well be over 100 light-years away. In this event, he feels that advanced societies might send probes, instead of just signals, to likely stars. These probes would presumably contain transmitting and receiving apparatus, designed either to listen for us or to make contact with us, and would go into orbit about target stars. Upon some positive detection, a signal with information would be transmitted back to the home star. We might, then, look and listen for probes within our own solar system." [4.]

In any normal situation, no one would question the sanity and reliability of the group of witnesses named in this report. But the UFO problem because it is controversial, and because mystical or crackpot UFO groups are publicized all out of proportion, appears to be a special case. Unthinking skeptics often take the easy way out by assuming that there must be "something wrong" with people who report UFOs. (Another type of skeptic refuses to come to grips with the UFO problem because he unconsciously fears his system of beliefs might be upset if UFOs are real). The notion that UFO reports originate with a small group of cultists, or crackpots, or any other small and uniform segment of our society, is refuted by the reports in this document.

One skeptical school of thought holds that UFO witnesses do not really see what they think they see. Through careless or inexpert observation, they are fooled by conventional objects, or phenomena. The observed performance of UFOs, obviously beyond earthly capabilities if true, is illusory. But radar in many cases has recorded unidentified objects exceeding the performance of earthly devices. Photographs in some cases have shown unidentifiable objects also observed visually. And, perhaps more significant than may be realized at first, reputable persons from all walks of life and all types of backgrounds (technical and non-technical, religious and non-religious, pilots, businessmen, police officers, celebrities, and the man on the street) all have seen and reported very much the same thing consistently for at least the past 17 years. If delusion is the answer to UFOs, then our whole society is deluded.

Approved For Release 2001/04/02 CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0