For NASA, there are plans that, due to their nature and what they could mean if activated, are designed never to be activated. Their purpose is to be prepared for exceptional situations with a major global impact. However, these are events that, for many, would be better if they never happened.
A couple of years ago, NASA confirmed the existence of one of these plans. It's a reserved protocol, carefully developed, that would only be put into action in the event of an unprecedented occurrence. Only now can the plan be known, step by step.
A plan from NASA for the impossible
Since 1989, there has been an international framework of action prepared for a unique situation: contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. This protocol, agreed upon by agencies and scientists, is based on rigorous steps. The first is to rule out any natural cause.
If it's confirmed that the signal has an artificial origin, the UN is notified immediately. The goal is to ensure an orderly and transparent global response. Avoiding improvised or uncontrolled reactions is key.
Once the finding is validated, an international committee of experts would be responsible for its analysis. This group would decide how to communicate the information to the public and would ensure an objective interpretation. They would also seek to protect the signal's frequencies to prevent human interference.
A plan kept for decades at NASA
The SETI Post Detection Hub at the University of St Andrews warns that the original protocol doesn't take the current digital environment into account. The speed of social media can trigger chaos. That's why they propose strengthening the plan with real-time communication strategies.
The study suggests including experts in diplomacy, governance, and crisis information management. This way, humanity would be better prepared to act responsibly in the face of news of such magnitude. According to its authors, NASA should lead this new global approach.
Back in 2021, NASA published in Nature that the world should prepare for the detection of intelligent life. They also warned about the danger of "false positives." Announcing something like this, without a solid basis, could destroy trust in science.
The impact would be global, so would the response
Although the possibility of real extraterrestrial contact is still remote, the debate is already serious. The implications would be not only scientific, but also political, social, and philosophical. The big question arises: how would humanity react?
For now, the secret plan remains kept, hoping it never has to be activated. Its existence shows that, when facing the unknown, preparation is the best tool.