olsen@JPL-VLSI.ARPA (11/11/85)
As one of the JPL members of the NASA SETI Program, I know that detailed
protocols for public announcements are being drawn up for the event of a
detection. This will not lay to rest the fears of those of you who have
a (sometimes, very well founded) paranoia about government paranoia. However,
I must also point out that we will be sifting through many false alarms which
must pass a complex hierarchy of tests before any announcement can be made.
The latter stages of these tests will necessarily involve observatories and
scientists who are not part of the official NASA SETI program, and it will
probably be impossible to keep a bona fide detection secret should some
government functionary desire to do so.
Edward Olsen
JPL