Dr. SETI On Tour: Why

Why Privatize SETI Science?

Dr. H. Paul Shuch When the NASA SETI program was cancelled in 1993, the US Government accomplished three things: they reduced their science expenditures by 5¢ per US citizen per year; they reduced the federal deficit by 0.0006%; and they drew a curtain across the sky, shielding us from possible membership in the cosmic community. My initial reaction was dismay. That gave way to elation a year later, with the founding of The SETI League and the privatization of SETI.
Privatized science makes good sense. When governments get involved in large-scale projects, they end up taking twice as long, costing twice as much, and working half as well. We're now doing our modest search on just 1% of NASA's old SETI budget. But we do need your support and participation, to keep that search alive. Whether you wish to operate your own amateur radio telescope, to develop new technology, or to share vicariously in the thrill of discovery, I invite you to join The SETI League. Together, there's no limit to what we might yet accomplish.