First Communication with The Planetary Society about Optical SETI

This letter from Dr. McDonough with a list of SETI contact people, was the first response from the SETI community I received after starting my research in the summer of 1990, other than the local contact with Dr. Robert Dixon's "Big Ear" SETI Group at Ohio State University.  I followed this letter up by sending materials to many, if not all of the individuals named.  My files appear to indicate that only NASA Ames responded, though I had written to them prior to receiving the above letter.  Of course, I know what that is like to be inundated with people's comments concerning SETI.  If one answered all the letters and emails one might not get anything done!  Two years later I sent at out large number of floppy disks to the official SETI community with an electronic copy of the EJASA article and a two-page summary sheet that explained my cw monochromatic laser beacon rationale.  This eventually lead to me being asked to organize the first Optical SETI conference for SPIE.

Stuart Kingsley
October 3, 1998

• The Planetary Society page on this Web site