We are sad to report that SETI pioneer and originator of the Drake Equation passed away on September 2nd. Frank at the age of 92. Frank conducted the first SETI experiments capable of detecting radio signals at nearby stars distances, He continued to be a large influence on the field into his 90s.

Dan Werthimer had this to say:

If it weren't for Frank, I'd be filthy rich. When the first microcomputer chips came out in the early 70's I joined the Homebrew Computer Club, along with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Everybody in Homebrew became ultra-rich, except me.

While other homebrewers were designing and selling the first home computers, I spent my time figuring out how to utilize the first computer chips for SETI experiments, thanks to Frank. I didn't become rich, but instead I was inspired by Frank to work on some of the most fundamental questions we have as humans. He taught me so much - I was incredibly fortunate to work with Frank on many SETI experiments for 45 years. Frank's insights led to optical SETI, SETI@home, and most recently, while in his 90's, Frank helped pioneer PANOSETI.

Frank was a wonderful friend, mentor, and brilliant collaborator. If Earthlings ever find ET, we'll have Frank to thank.

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@SETIEric@qoto.org (Mastodon)

A few years ago, I and members of my family, went to Green Bank to take the “Seti tour” our tour guides were 2 wonderful women whose names I can’t remember. When we got to the part of the tour where they have the original antenna and equipment used by Frank Drake, both women told us that Frank himself decided to take the tour! They had to explain to him what he did with his own equipment! After the tour, they asked him how they did. He said that they did a good job! I wonder now where all that Seti information from Green Bank is going? Angie.

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The Breakthrough Listen Project is currently collecting data from SETI observations at the large, Robert C. Byrd, radio telescope at the Green Bank Observatory. They will observe today, September 8th, from 14:50 to 00:00 hours Eastern Daylight Time. They typically observe in batches of several consecutive days, at different hours, covering the entire sky accessible from that location in the process. The Breakthrough Listen Project has access to 20 percent of the observing time at this telescope.

He was just such a fine man, and will be greatly missed.

Frank Drake, grateful for your collaboration helping us climb the steps of knowledge and spiritual evolution. Grateful and in the spiritual abode continue to drink in the sources of divine knowledge!!!

R.I.P

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Kind Regards
Sunny Ying

The upfront work done with computer chips utilized for seti will eventually be the most historical researched topic.

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He was just such a fine man, and will be greatly missed.

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