Allen Telescope Array

(Image by brewbooks via Flickr)



[SETI Institute CEO Tom] Pierson said the institute's managers and scientists were drawing up a plan that would restart science operations in September.


Pierson acknowledged that the ATA's long-term success would "require a mix of funding," including continued contributions as well as renewed cash flow from other applications for the radio array. The institute is hoping that the U.S. Air Force will use the array to  track orbital objects that otherwise might pose a threat to the International Space Station and other satellites. During the daytime, the ATA could be used for the Air Force's "debris deconfliction," and during the night it could search for alien signals, Pierson said.

Mothballing a fantastic telescope array because they were missing funding was an awful thing. But it's exciting that there was enough public support to get them going (disclosure: I've donated). Hopefully they'll be able to get a steadier source of funding in the future.

h/t Bad Astronomy