329 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
329 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
SUBJECT: MORE ON THE FACE ON MARS FILE: UFO2738
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This file is an ASCII version of the Executive Summary from "THE
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McDANIEL REPORT," a 200-page analysis of the methodology
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employed by researchers studying enigmatic objects on the surface
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of Mars, including the well-known "face." The report also analyzes
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NASA's policy regarding these objects. The author is Professor
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Emeritus and former Chairman of the Philosophy Department at
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a California State University. The file should be of interest not
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only to those curious about the "Face on Mars," phenomenon, but
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also to any persons studying Mars and Mars exploration.
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INTRODUCTION to the ASCII version:
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The subject of the "Face on Mars" has been regularly discussed
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on computer forums. In general, the discussion has been hampered
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by rampant misinformation, and frequently by apparently deliberate
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disinformation. The excerpt from "The McDaniel Report" provided
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below is offered in the spirit of rational inquiry, in the hope that it
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will assist in upgrading the level of the discussion. However, the
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issues surrounding the "Face on Mars" phenomenon go beyond
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those in the "paranormal" and "ET" forums. The role of govern-
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ment in science, the appropriate methodologies for studying
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and evaluating objects on planetary surfaces by remote imaging,
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and the ethical principles affecting SETI research,
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are among the issues raised in the report. It is hoped that
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this file, therefore, will be made available in the "general"
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sections of computer forums on science.
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Statements made in the summary below are documented
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and explained in detail in the full report. This material is
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under copyright and all rights are reserved. Copies of this file
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may be transferred to other computer forums provided
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the material is unchanged. Inquiries may be directed to:
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Professor S. V. McDaniel, 1055 W. College Avenue #273
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Santa Rosa, CA 95401. (Internet 75320.3666@compuserve.com)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - The McDaniel Report
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Since 1979, a number of highly qualified independent
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investigators have engaged in an extensive analysis of photographs
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taken by the 1976 Viking Mars mission. These photographs appear
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to be evidence that some landforms in the Martian region called
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Cydonia may be artificial.
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A comprehensive analysis of the data supporting this
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hypothesis, using established criteria for scientific
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methodology, shows that the methods of research pursued by the
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independent investigators are basically sound. There is a reasonable
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doubt as to the natural origin of the Cydonian objects. Reputable
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scientists in several fields, including physics, astronomy, and
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geology, have expressed their confidence in the overall integrity of
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this report and have called for further active investigation of these
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landforms by NASA. Among them are Dr. Robert M. Schoch,
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Associate Professor of Science and Mathematics (geology), Boston
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University; Dr. Horace Crater, Professor of Physics, University of
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Tennessee Space Institute; Dr. David Webb, Professor of Space
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Education, Research, and Technology at Embry-Riddle University,
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Daytona Beach, Florida; Dr. Thomas Van Flandern, former Head,
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Celestial Mechanics Branch, U. S. Naval Observatory; James
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Berkland, former Assistant Professor of Geology, Appalachian State
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University; and L. J. Angstrom, the great-grandson of the famous
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physicist A. J. Angstrom and Director of the prestigious Angstrom
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Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden.
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However, during the seventeen years since the
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controversial landforms were discovered, NASA has
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maintained steadfastly that there is "no credible evidence"
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that any of the landforms may be artificial. A close look at
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NASA's arguments reveals that NASA's "evaluation" has
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consisted largely of initial impressions from unenhanced
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photographs, heavily weighted by faulty reasoning
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(thoroughly documented in this report). NASA has failed to
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apply any special methods of analysis; it has relied upon
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flawed reports; it has failed to attempt verification of the
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enhancements and measurements made by others; and it
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has focused exclusively on inappropriate methodology
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which ignores the importance of context. There remains no
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scientific basis for NASA's position regarding the
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landforms.
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Finally, NASA has based its evaluation almost
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exclusively on the alleged existence of disconfirming
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photographs which it has never identified, and has
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recently admitted it is unable to identify.
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Instead of carrying out legitimate scientific inquiry,
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NASA has regularly sent false and misleading statements
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regarding the landforms to members of Congress and their
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constituents. NASA has condoned efforts to unfairly
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ridicule and discredit independent researchers, and has
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insisted that there is a "scientific consensus" that the
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landforms are natural despite the fact that the only real
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scientific study of the landforms indicates a clear
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possibility that they are artificial.
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Of the various landforms investigated by the
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independent teams and individuals, the one that began the
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research, referred to as the "Face" because of its
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resemblance to a humanoid face, has undergone one of the
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most exhaustive series of tests for the evaluation of digital
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images originating from an interplanetary probe available
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to scientists today. The data collected in the course of
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these investigations appears to be highly reliable.
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The most advanced techniques of image enhance-
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ment, photoclinometry and fractal analysis, confirmed by
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cross-checking and thoroughly documented, have been
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used. The investigators are acknowledged experts in their
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fields with strong academic and professional qualifications.
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In every test, the data has consistently tilted in the
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direction of artificial, rather than natural, origin.
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Moreover, the various tests performed, including
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anthropometric and aesthetic evaluation, have been
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mutually cross-confirming.
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In September 1992 a new spacecraft, the Mars
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Observer, was launched. Now reported lost, the Mars
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Observer carried a camera capable of taking high-
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resolution photographs that would almost certainly have
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settled the question of artificiality. But NASA's position
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regarding the priority assigned to photographs of the
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landforms has been throughout to resist any consideration
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of their possible artificial origin. NASA's equivocal
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statements on the issue of priorities indicated a clear
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likelihood that new photographs of the suspect landforms
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would not be obtained, or would not be released if they
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were obtained.
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If NASA's Mars Observer policy remains
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unchanged, future missions to Mars will almost certainly
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not include any meaningful effort to settle the question of
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artificiality. NASA is in the process of evaluating options
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for a new Mars launch as early as October, 1994. As of this
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writing, the selection of the spacecraft and instrumenta-
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tion to be used for a new launch is under way. Allowing
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the previous policy to dominate in a new mission would
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constitute a reprehensible abdication of a clear and
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compelling social responsibility.
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In 1960, a report titled Proposed Studies on the
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Implications of Peaceful Space Activities for Human
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Affairs was delivered to the Chairman of NASA's
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Committee on Long-Range Studies. The report was
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prepared under contract to NASA by the Brookings
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Institution, Washington, D.C. The report outlines the need
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to investigate the possible social consequences of an
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extraterrestrial discovery and to consider whether such a
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discovery should be kept from the public in order to avoid
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political change and a possible "devastating" effect on
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scientists themselves due to the discovery that many of
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their own most cherished theories could be at risk.
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The concept of withholding information on a
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possible extraterrestrial discovery conflicts with an
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understood NASA policy to the effect that information on
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a verified discovery of extraterrestrial intelligence should
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be shared promptly with all humanity. A report on the
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cultural aspects of the search for extraterrestrial intelli-
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gence (SETI) is presently being prepared for publication
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by the NASA Ames Research Center. In this report, the
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position that NASA would not withhold such data from the
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public is said to be strongly supported.
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NASA's actual behavior in the specific case of the
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Martian objects, however, does not appear to be consistent
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with this policy. NASA has regularly distributed
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documents containing false or misleading statements
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about its evaluation of the Face to members of Congress
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and to the public. The absence of legitimate scientific
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evaluation of the landforms by NASA, its ignoring of the
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relevant research, its apparently exaggerated warnings
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that such photographs would be extremely difficult to
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obtain, the possible sequestering of the data under the
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aegis of "private contract," and the ambiguous language
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used by NASA officials to generate a sense of complacency
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around the issue all support the suspicion of a motivation
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contrary to the stated policy.
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When forwarded inquiries from constituents by
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United States Senators and Representatives, NASA has
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provided answers which may appear plausible to the
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uninformed, but which cannot withstand even the
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slightest logical scrutiny. Among the various misleading
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assurances given by NASA are those having to do with
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NASA's policy for Mars Observer Camera data release. On
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the first mission to Mars in seventeen years, with growing
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public interest in the artificiality hypothesis and NASA's
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vigorous resistance to that hypothesis, NASA made a
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radical change in the way photographic data from the
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spacecraft would be handled. Unlike previous missions,
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there was to be no conveyance of camera data to the public
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as soon as it was received and converted into viewable
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images (what is often called "live" transmission). Instead,
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images from the Mars Observer Camera would be under
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the exclusive control of a private contractor for up to six
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months after acquisition.
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This same private contractor had been given sole
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authority to determine, not only what images would be
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released and when, but even what objects would be
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photographed by the high resolution camera. That
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contractor, Dr. Michael Malin, is an outspoken opponent of
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the hypothesis of possible artificiality. Dr. Malin's
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arguments against the hypothesis of possible artificiality
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have been uniformly fallacious (as is thoroughly detailed
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in the report). Thus the interests of the American public in
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relation to Mars Observer Camera data were effectively
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turned over to the evidently biased decisions of a private
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individual.
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The credibility gap widened as NASA, using
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contractual technicalities, insisted that it was treating
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Mars Observer imaging data "no differently" than data
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from previous missions despite the fact that the end
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result would have been radically different as far as
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immediate public access and public accountability were
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concerned. It is impossible, from a logical standpoint, to
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see NASA's efforts to claim "no change in previous policy"
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as anything but a transparent attempt at misdirection.
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In the face of growing public clamor, NASA also
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began to make assurances that the "Cydonia region"
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where the landforms are located was scheduled to be
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photographed by the high-resolution Camera. NASA
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clearly attempted to put the public at ease by making it
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appear that the landforms would likely be photographed
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because of NASA's general interest in the geology of the
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"region." But the Cydonia region is a vast area, and high-
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resolution photography would cover only a very small
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percentage of that area. No special priority for the
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landforms in question has ever been contemplated. Under
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the standing policy, the likelihood is high that the
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landforms will not be photographed, regardless of
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assurances about the "region."
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Given the importance of the subject and the urgent
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need to take action, I have put forward the following
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recommendations. These recommendations apply to the
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Mars Observer mission in the event the spacecraft is
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recovered, and to any future missions, including a mission
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specifically to replace the Mars Observer.
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1. Assuming Mars Observer is not recovered, NASA will
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select a replacement spacecraft carrying instrumentation
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capable of achieving high-resolution imaging of the
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Martian surface at least superior to that of the Viking
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missions of 1976, and having the highest degree of camera
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flexibility possible, including pointing capability.
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2. NASA and any private contractor who may be involved
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in imaging, by agreement, will assign a level of priority to
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the suspect landforms that will ensure the obtaining of
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high-resolution photographs of those landforms, using all
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means at their disposal, subject only to uncertainties
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beyond their control. This priority level will be entered
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into the imaging Target Data Base and taken into
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consideration in mission sequencing. The stated purpose of
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taking such photographs will include the possibility that
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they are of artificial origin.
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3. The camera operator will plan for and initiate high-
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resolution imaging sequences on every occasion (20 to 30
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times in the case of Mars Observer) during which the
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spacecraft groundtrack is within the area from 8 to 10 deg.
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longitude, such that the image strips include the area 40.4
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to 41.2 deg. N. latitude.
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4. All imaging data gathered during camera passes over
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the area specified above will be placed in the category
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"newsworthy" and will not be subject to the proprietary
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aspects of any Principal Investigator's contract with
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NASA. This includes the raw data prior to processing, but
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after the camera data has been separated from that of
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other instrumentation.
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5. The scientific community and the general public will be
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given advance notice, within the constraints of
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predictability, as to when each such pass will occur, in
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order to prepare to receive the data.
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6. The raw data for the specific area indicated above will
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be released to scientists and to the public upon receipt at
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JPL with no time delay.
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7. Video image conversion of data received in the same
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passes will be released in a continuous stream to NASA
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Select-TV, PBS, and others who desire to receive it. NASA
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will be held accountable for any inordinate delay between
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receipt of the raw data and release of video imagery. No
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delay should occur other than the minimum time period
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necessary for computers to convert the data to video form.
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NASA should provide in advance specific technical details
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of what procedures are necessary for conversion and how
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long they are likely to take.
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8. Video image conversion of all high-resolution camera
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activity, regardless of location on the planet's surface, will
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be released in a continuous stream to NASA Select-TV,
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PBS, and others who desire to receive it throughout the
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course of the mission. Because of its extreme importance,
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this data release will take precedence over regular NASA
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programming for as long as is necessary to achieve the
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goal of providing the public with open access to the data
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that may settle the question of artificiality.
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9. A blue-ribbon interdisciplinary panel of independent
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scientists and lay persons should be appointed to inquire
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into the circumstances surrounding NASA's questionable
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behavior in regard to the suspect landforms in particular,
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and NASA's concept of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial
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Intelligence) methodology with respect to the solar system,
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particularly Mars and the Moon. Among the panel's
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charges should be the undertaking of an unbiased
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scientific evaluation of the data gathered by the
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independent researchers to date, and an oversight
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committee to monitor NASA's compliance with the
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additional recommendations set forth above.
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------------------------------------------------------
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**********************************************
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* THE U.F.O. BBS - http://www.ufobbs.com/ufo *
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********************************************** |