# So, an alien spacecraft pays a vist... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213 "2012-10-29T15:35:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/1 "2012-10-29T15:35:06Z")
Imagine, it’s next year and a largish alien spacecraft slips into a medium Earth orbit. It orbits the Earth for perhaps a day, then leaves. It’s plainly visible to anyone on the ground with a good pair of binoculars. It does not respond to any attempt at communication, nor does it attempt to communicate. At some point soon after its departure we lose track of it (how is not relevant). Leaving aside the techie stuff, how will the world react? How will you react? ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/2 "2012-10-29T15:54:04Z")
The US folds NASA into the military and we’ve got orbital weapon platforms and nuclear propulsion craft in space in 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/3 "2012-10-29T16:06:05Z")
> [@Grey](#): > > The US folds NASA into the military and we’ve got orbital weapon platforms and nuclear propulsion craft in space in 10 years. Awesome name for the first poster! > **[Grey alien](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_alien)** > > Grey aliens, also referred to as Zeta Reticulans, Roswell Greys, or simply, Greys,\[a\] are purported extraterrestrial beings. They are frequent subjects of close encounter and alien abduction claims, the details of which vary widely. Greys are typically described as having small, humanoid bodies, smooth, grey skin, proportionately large, hairless heads, and large, black, almond-shaped eyes. The Barney and Betty Hill abduction claim, which purportedly took place in New Hampshire in 1961, popular... ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/4 "2012-10-29T16:35:00Z")
I think this is one of the few things films like _Independence Day_ get right. I’d expect a wide variety of reaction around the world. Several new religions would be formed overnight, some panic/rioting would occur, some old school religions would preach doom, others would preach salvation, and various other forms of chaos would ensue. Once the alien ship departed, various religions would claim their prayers spared humanity, but we must repent, etc. As noted above NASA and the U.S. Military would merge, and we’d get serious about weaponizing space/planetary defense. Might see some movement towards a stronger U.N. Security Council, more international cooperation in space efforts. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/5 "2012-10-29T16:43:11Z")
Build an Orion-ship just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/6 "2012-10-29T20:06:12Z")
All world Space Agencies would seriously up their game. Much up arming, particulary with nukes, biological and chemical weapons. I also suspect that at least some nations would start beaming messages into space that they for one welcomed their new extraterrestial overlords. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/7 "2012-10-30T08:08:53Z")
I would anxiously await the response from the religious right but try to limit my exposure for fear of damaging my sides from too much laughter. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/8 "2012-10-30T08:13:08Z")
I’d be really really excited. ---
**Author:** ![Hogfather65](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7bcc69/32.png) [@Hogfather65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hogfather65)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/9 "2012-10-30T11:42:45Z")
Meh! ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-an-alien-spacecraft-pays-a-vist/639213/10 "2012-10-30T12:37:41Z")
I’d be holding up a sign saying “I, for one, welcome our alien overlords” All right, quit shoving, I’m going!