# What is the Government protocol, if we discover Life on Mars? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785 "2004-01-16T16:23:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lagged2Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lagged2Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lagged2Death)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/21 "2004-01-16T21:04:33Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So far as I know, NASA’s transmissions to and from spacecraft are not encrypted at all. Does anyone have any reference links on this matter? I can’t see any reason NASA would want to encrypt transmissions _from_ their probes, but they’ve got darn good reasons to secure (possibly through encryption) the commands sent _to_ them. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/22 "2004-01-16T21:41:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Does anyone have any reference links on this matter? I can’t see any reason NASA would want to encrypt transmissions from their probes, but they’ve got darn good reasons to secure (possibly through encryption) the commands sent to them. Still looking for info. on the probes. Shuttle transmissions are definitely encrypted, ostensibly b/c astronaut medical consultations are considered priveleged private medical data (just like w/ everyone else), and it’s easiest for NASA to receive one encrypted feed from space, then either decrypt it for public rebroadcast of the non-sensitive mission portions or shut it down temporarily for privacy reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/23 "2004-01-16T22:06:25Z")
> [@Lagged2Death](#): > > Does anyone have any reference links on this matter? I can’t see any reason NASA would want to encrypt transmissions _from_ their probes, but they’ve got darn good reasons to secure (possibly through encryption) the commands sent _to_ them. If I were designing the control computer, I don’t think I woulda thought of it. NASA might in all likelyhood just depend on anyone owning the required equipment not being a butthead. > [@](#): > > **toadspittle** This would be a piece of cake. Just delete those picture files, point the rover in the opposite direction, extract secrecy agreements from everyone present, and never speak of it/send another mission there again. With all due respect, you and **Phlosphr** are a couple of feet short of a box of Reynolds Wrap. Do you _honestly_ expect over 30 scientists and engineers (that’s just the immediate area) to say “Cool! The reason I went and got this job in the first place… but that’s okay, I promise to never tell another living soul”. 😕 😕 😕 I’d sooner believe that Art Bell and Bart Sibrel jointly won the Years-least-insane-person award. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/24 "2004-01-16T23:16:06Z")
In answer to the original post… In 1976 the Viking craft found evidence that life could exist on Mars, the scientists did overtime trying to proove that the experiments were flawed. ---
**Author:** ![Lagged2Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lagged2Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lagged2Death)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2004, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/25 "2004-01-16T23:30:41Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > If I were designing the control computer, I don’t think I woulda thought of it. NASA might in all likelyhood just depend on anyone owning the required equipment not being a butthead. The way I see it, there’s too much at stake in a mission like this to take any risks about people being buttheads. Especially since wrapping the transmissions up in a little encryption is relatively trivial. There have been [reports of Falun Gong hacking](http://www.tibet.ca/wtnarchive/2002/9/24_8.html) Chinese communications satellites, for example. (I don’t mention it to take sides with the Chinese government, just to point out that it’s not so far fetched to believe that some unruly types could get access to the tech needed.) And I believe there was a minor satellite hacking case (by a lone Unix hacker, no less) in the US a year or two ago, but I’m having trouble finding cites. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/26 "2004-01-17T00:06:04Z")
The March 2003 issue of Discover magazine had an interesting article about the laboratory designed to study samples of mars rock, soil, etc. Basically this lab has to consist of 3 nested positive and negative pressure chambers to ensure that A.) no potentially harmful Martian bacteria can escape and B.) no earth bacteria can contaminate the samples. ---
**Author:** ![stochastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@stochastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stochastic)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/27 "2004-01-17T02:18:57Z")
> [@herman\_and\_bill](#): > > In answer to the original post… In 1976 the Viking craft found evidence that life could exist on Mars, the scientists did overtime trying to proove that the experiments were flawed. Do you have a cite for this? I’m not trying to be snarky here, I’m seriously interested if such a thing happened. I ask because I used to work with a member of the team that built the GC-MS used by the Viking landers to analyze the Martian soil for traces of organic compounds (he even had and showed me a spare one that was built but never flew). He claimed that the data returned from his instrument convinced him that organic compounds consistent with life were found, but that those results were squelched by higher-ups. I dunno what or whom to believe. I could see my co-worker could’ve been struck by an extreme case of wishful thinking, given he had put a lot of time and effort that mission. ---
**Author:** ![Lockfist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@Lockfist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockfist)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/28 "2004-01-17T02:27:44Z")
While we are on the topic, did they take precautions to prevent any bacteria or other earthly matter riding stowaway on the rover? Would there be any possibility that any such matter could survive? What are the implications? ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/29 "2004-01-17T11:24:48Z")
> [@Lockfist](#): > > While we are on the topic, did they take precautions to prevent any bacteria or other earthly matter riding stowaway on the rover? Would there be any possibility that any such matter could survive? What are the implications? I’ll take a pass on #3… 2nd question: Almost certainly. Apollo 12 landed next to [Surveyor 3](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031005.html) with this in mind. Bacteria were found on equipment returned after 31 months on the moon. [Link1](http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmoon/Apollo12/A12_Experiments_III.html) [Link2](http://www.space.com/news/spaceagencies/apollo_moon_rocks_010326.html) As for the 1st, Google for “viking” and “bioshield” and you’ll get tonnes of stuff. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/30 "2004-01-17T11:45:29Z")
> [@Lockfist](#): > > While we are on the topic, did they take precautions to prevent any bacteria or other earthly matter riding stowaway on the rover? The [COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy](http://www.cosparhq.org/scistr/PPPPolicy.htm) provides guidelines for sterilization of interplanetary spacecraft. A recent press release from the Japanese space agency cited it as a reason why they diverted their failing Mars probe away from Mars. The satellite is not a lander so it has not been sterilized, and they needed to make sure there is no chance of it falling to the Mars surface by accident. ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/31 "2004-01-17T12:09:21Z")
You know after reading crap like this; (a) “the President will declare it to be an eminent threat to the United States and proceed directly to military action.” (b)“Do they have oil?” in thread after thread in GQ, I begin to miss Manny more than ever. Yes GW Bush will fuking kill all life on earth and probabaly take mars with us. But since the answers were posted in GQ wtf? (a) Directing US forces to Mars is unlikely though we could feasibly detonate a nuke there using ready lift vehicles. (b) It is quite possible that there are hydrocarbon deposits on mars deep underground. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/32 "2004-01-17T13:43:14Z")
> [@stochastic](#): > > Do you have a cite for this? I have no site at hand, probably easy to find. I am working from memory. Eventually I think they decided it was a chemical reaction, but who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/33 "2004-01-17T14:26:18Z")
I would figure that the first signs of any sort of life would be fairly ambiguous. We are talking some interesting results in an obscure experiment that measures the metabolism in Lord Knows What. That would be announced with maximum fanfare, as other things have been announced. Something really big, like a brick wall or some sort of straight lines as are so rarely found in nature would be so shocking that there might be some attempt to control the information. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/34 "2004-01-17T14:44:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Something really big, like a brick wall or some sort of straight lines as are so rarely found in nature would be so shocking that there might be some attempt to control the information. I agree. > [@](#): > > **Originally posted by Nanoda** With all due respect, you and Phlosphr are a couple of feet short of a box of Reynolds Wrap. Do you honestly expect over 30 scientists and engineers (that’s just the immediate area) to say “Cool! The reason I went and got this job in the first place… but that’s okay, I promise to never tell another living soul”. This thread was intended to see if anyone knew the actual protocol…my assertions were merely based on inference and pure inquisitive thought…No need to tell me how you really feel. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/35 "2004-01-17T18:02:57Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > I would figure that the first signs of any sort of life would be fairly ambiguous. We are talking some interesting results in an obscure experiment that measures the metabolism in Lord Knows What. That would be announced with maximum fanfare, as other things have been announced. > > Something really big, like a brick wall or some sort of straight lines as are so rarely found in nature would be so shocking that there might be some attempt to control the information. The OP _did_ specify _intelligent_ life… I can’t believe nobody busted this one out first, but clearly the first thing they’d do is… …say “Take me to your leader”! ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/36 "2004-01-17T21:30:06Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > Something really big, like a brick wall or some sort of straight lines as are so rarely found in nature would be so shocking that there might be some attempt to control the information. But unless the plan for controlling the info is firmly in place prior to the discovery, this has a very low chance of success. And any _ad hoc_, half-baked attempt is nearly certain to backfire, and at a minimum disgrace those who participated. Perhaps those who support this notion would like to attempt to explain why NASA/JPL folks, whose reputations and future financial support would be enormously enhanced by such a discovery, would be likely to suppress it? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/37 "2004-01-17T21:54:32Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > \*\*Let’s say the Spirit Rover stumbles on something completely unexpected…say an abandoned outpost for some sort of intelligent life…I know the Rover will most likely only go 2000 yards total IIRC, but what if? \*\* Maybe not spirit , something of that nature would have been noticed by one of the satellite probes thats been going over the surface of Mars. But , if you were to say that the Opurtunity rover , thats due to land in several days , found a water processing plant , in the back of nowhere, then the governments options fall along the lines of 1 As per the treaty , reporting it to the UN , can’t see that happening 1. keep spirit sending back photos , but claim oppurtunity has met with an unfortuneate end, scientists down the well, would not even know it was the comm sats being redirected , it just stops transmitting to the intended recipient, they are expecting that one or more of the rovers will meet with a bad end , so it wont be that much of a stretch. 2. Tell the world , there is or was another sentient race once upon a time ,and that the US will lead a mars mission to assertain that there is technology that can be exploited and just leave the UN out of it. This is pretty much a case of what the US wants to do , as space exploration and exploitation is limited to very few nations. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2004, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/38 "2004-01-17T22:13:47Z")
I think the protocol is obvious. Given the thinner atmosphere of Mars and the expense of equipping the rover with on-site communications devices, somehow I question if the rover has a two-way Dick Tracy TV, stereo speakers, or some kind of remote-link video rebroadcast technology on it. I don’t think NASA would have included that on the rover unless they had any reason to think _anybody on Mars would ever see it._ So I believe they’d make certain they examined as much as they could without being openly hostile (insofar as it would be capable of determining what a totally alien life form considered “hostile”). If they discovered _remnants_ of intelligent life, but not actual organisms, then they would make notes on whatever they found. In any case, they’d be making a shopping list for functions to add to Rover 2. Whether we hear about this other intelligent life depends on how quickly we could learn if they had hostile intent, how quickly we thought we could expect to send up another rover, and whether we felt it likely that we’d expect a visit from _them._ It would most likely take the form of some kind of press release, but I imagine it’d be days or as many as a few weeks after the initial discovery—though rumors would fly long before that. It would take us a year to craft a response to any Martians we find, so I think they could afford to wait a few days to figure out how to break the news to Earthers. Of course, once the Martians came to Earth, they’d start turning us all into Scotsmen and then they’d appear on tennis courts all over England. **They mean to win Wimbledon.** ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/39 "2004-01-18T02:27:17Z")
Ya know, if some actual answers to what is the protocol and even whether there is a protocol showed up, then we could start an IMHO or GD thread as to whether that’s all just Government lies and cover-ups… But so far all we seem to find is the _SETI_ protocol and the Space Treaties. But nothing from NASA. Then again, NASA has been so confused as to what its real mission is these last two decades it wouldn’t surprise anyone if they just misplaced their protocol. SETI addresses _remote_ detection of _signals_ from intelligent sources. Plain old signs of life-forms on Mars would probably wait for sample-recovery missions and would take decades of redesigned instrumentation in order to keep ruling out possible other explanations. But then again, that is just plain old scientific protocol. Having a probe or orbiter actually blunder onto a clear shot of an obviously recognizable artifact, building or ruins therof – well, is there a member of the news media in the room when the picture comes up on the screen? A lot of the rampant speculations here seem to rely on that nothing is put up on the big front-and-center screen until Da Man clears it. ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2004, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785/40 "2004-01-18T07:26:49Z")
I’m well aware that the SDMB is disproportionately full of government-conspiracy-obsessed crackpots…but the some of these replies are surprising even me. Look…I work for the Federal Government. And the fact is that we are not nearly as capable of pulling off gigantic conspiracies as the public would like to believe. We’re flattered that you think so highly of us, but our staggering collective ineptitude prevents us from effectively hiding the truth about UFOs, faking the Moon landing, or concealing the discovery of life on Mars. We can’t keep our military secrets from the Chinese, but everyone thinks we can keep history-altering, earth-shattering news from our own people. A few _million_ of whom, mind you, are on the inside themselves! :rolleyes: But I’m only speaking of the Government’s lack of ability. That says nothing for its lack of desire. What motive does the Gummint have for hiding this news from the rest of the world? No matter what we find, I can’t see how keeping it a secret could be beneficial. Why people would even think those intentions exist is beyond me. Such secrecy serves no purpose…I have a hard time imagining how the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligent life might compromise our national security. Since of course, we can’t do anything about it. But these ridiculous comments don’t belong in GQ in any case. Obviously, no one has an answer for the OP…and nearly 40 posts with no answer is not a good sign. The least we can all do is keep the political debating to the proper forums. But, then again, if you’re one of those conspiracy theorists, you’ll just assume i’m an evil agent of The Man, trying to convince you to forget about it all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-government-protocol-if-we-discover-life-on-mars/224785.md?page=3)