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**The Possibility of Extra-Terrestrial Life in the Galaxy**
R.N. Bracewell, "Communications from Superior Galactic Communities" in Nature, no.4726, 28May 1960, pp 670-671 in the section of pp 663-742. Extracted from a larger bound volume. VG Reprinted in A. G. Cameron, ed. (1963). Interstellar Communication. New York: W. A. Benjamin. pp. 243?248.
"A Bracewell probe is defined as an autonomous robotic interstellar space probe with advanced AI, pre-loaded with information or data its creators wish to convey. It would seek out existing technological civilizations or monitor worlds where such civilizations are likely to arise, establishing contact, making its presence known, conducting a dialogue over short distances (compared to interstellar distances), and transmitting the results of this interaction back to its origin. In essence, such probes would act as autonomous local representatives of their home civilization and serve as the point of contact between the cultures.
In contrast to radio communication across interstellar distances, a Bracewell probe offers key advantages: sustained presence in a target star system, active search capabilities, high-bandwidth local communication, and direct observation. Its physical presence serves as an unambiguous message. However, the probe cannot communicate information beyond its pre-loaded memory or update its contact protocols remotely. This inflexibility risks obsolescence and limits responses to unforeseen situations. Additionally, designing a Bracewell probe requires anticipating diverse alien biologies, psychologies, and technological levels ? an inherently challenging task."
"While a Bracewell probe does not need to be a von Neumann probe as well, the two concepts are compatible, and a self-replicating device as proposed by von Neumann would greatly speed up a Bracewell probe's search for alien civilizations."
"It is also possible that such a probe (or system of probes if launched as a von Neumann?Bracewell probe) may outlive the civilization which created and launched it.
The search for Bracewell probes falls under SETA (Search for Extraterrestrial Artifacts) and SETV (Search for Extraterrestrial Visitation), encompassing efforts to detect evidence of extraterrestrial activity within the Solar System or nearby space. Detection methods might include searching for anomalous objects or emissions, analyzing long-delayed radio echoes (LDEs), and observing gravitational microlensing events. The LDE connection, however, remains highly speculative. These efforts often overlap with broader SETI initiatives, such as Breakthrough Listen. The near-Earth object 1991 VG was initially considered a possible Bracewell probe due to its unusual rotation and orbit. However, subsequent observations identified it as a natural asteroid, with its characteristics attributed to the Yarkovsky effect and other non-gravitational forces."--Wikipedia 714.3 Ptory.
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