Fort Monmouth: First radar signals reflected from Moon
US Army scientists successfully bounced radar signals off the Moon, marking the first radar astronomy experiment. A military official suggested this achievement could represent an initial step toward contacting extraterrestrial intelligence.
Background
Project Diana Achievement
On January 10, 1946 at 11:58 a.m., scientists Harold D. Webb and Herbert P. Kauffman at the Evans Signal Laboratory successfully transmitted and received radar echoes from the Moon's surface. The team employed a modified SCR-271 radar antenna operating at 110 MHz with 3 kW peak power, mounted on a 100-foot tower in the northeast corner of Camp Evans.
Military Context and Significance
The project originated from Pentagon directives to develop radar systems capable of detecting Soviet ballistic missiles. However, with no actual missiles available for testing, Lt. Col. John DeWitt reinterpreted the mandate to pursue lunar radar reflection, demonstrating that terrestrial radio signals could penetrate the ionosphere.
Extraterrestrial Communication Implications
USAF Maj. Gen. Harold M. McClelland remarked to the press that this achievement represented an "opening step" in establishing communication with intelligent life beyond Earth. This statement reflected contemporary speculation about the technological implications of successful extraterrestrial signal transmission.