View original document (1.1 MB) PDF viewer unavailable in this browser. Download the PDF to view. According to Department of State records released under the PURSUE archive by the U.S. Department of War, a memorandum from the Executive Office of the President dated July 18, 1963, explicitly discusses the policy question of “what to do if an alien intelligence is discovered in space.” The document, titled “59_214434_SP 16 [7.18.1963],” was released on May 8, 2026, and originates from the National Aeronautics and Space Council.
The memorandum, addressed to Mr. Robert F. Packard of the Office of International Scientific Affairs at the Department of State, presents what its author describes as “miscellaneous thoughts on the question” of alien intelligence.
The official description of the record notes that it includes “details relating to plans if alien intelligence is discovered, expanding scientific knowledge, the possibility of life on Mars, and diplomatic policy.” The document’s summary offers limited detail beyond this framing, but the text excerpt provides a significant window into the thinking of the time.
Document Details Scientific and Theological Debate on Alien Life
The memorandum outlines a shift in scientific consensus regarding the probability of extraterrestrial life. It states that “up until a few decades ago it seemed very improbable that intelligent life existed anywhere outside of the solar system,” citing a combination of scientific theory and religious belief. The document explains that the previously dominant theory, that planetary systems formed from a rare near-collision of two stars, suggested “there would be very few other planetary systems in the universe.” The author notes that the situation had “vastly changed” by 1963.
The memorandum reports that “the most widely held theory of stellar formation would predict the formation of planetary systems to be a natural consequence of stellar evolution,” leading to the conclusion that “most stars would possess planetary systems, and the number of habitable planets in our galaxy would be tremendous.” The document adds that the biological sciences had “almost completely traced a series of natural occurrences which lead from inanimate molecules to elementary living viruses,” suggesting that “life is quite likely to arise spontaneously on a large number of these” planets.
The document also addresses the question of whether intelligent life exists within our own solar system, specifically mentioning Mars.
It notes that “some of the spectacular markings of Mars have been interpreted as indicating intelligence,” referencing the famous “Canali” — narrow features that run from one prominent marking to another, “frequently with round splotches at intersections.” The author states, “As far as I know, no one has discovered a ‘Canali’ which goes nowhere.” The memorandum acknowledges the divide between mainstream science and “flying saucer advocates.” The author writes, “The flying saucer advocates claim, of course, that the scientific viewpoint is nonsense, and that there is overwhelming evidence of such beings.” The author expresses personal difficulty siding with the advocates, but also finds “the almost total impossibility envisioned by most scientists also is disturbing.”
Context and What Remains Unanswered
Per a Wikipedia summary of the topic, an unidentified flying object (UFO) is “an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained.” Wikipedia notes that the term was coined when U.S. Air Force investigations into flying saucers found “too broad a range of shapes reported to consider them all saucers or discs.” The encyclopedia entry adds that upon investigation, “most UFOs are identified as known objects or atmospheric phenomena, while a small number remain unexplained.” The 1963 memorandum represents a rare, high-level government consideration of diplomatic policy regarding potential alien contact, predating the modern UAP discussion by decades.
The document does not specify whether the recommendations it contains were ever adopted, nor does it indicate any concrete findings of alien intelligence at the time. The record’s official summary offers limited detail beyond the subjects listed, leaving the full scope of the “diplomatic policy” considerations unclear.
Readers should watch for future PURSUE releases to see if additional memoranda from the National Aeronautics and Space Council or related agencies provide further insight into how these policy questions were addressed, or whether any subsequent government documents reference actions taken based on the 1963 deliberations.
