The CIA’s Stargate Project
Exploring America’s Real-Life Psychic Spies Program
The Stargate Project was the CIA’s secret program to investigate whether psychic abilities could be used for military and intelligence purposes. From the early 1970s until 1995, the CIA worked with the U.S. Army and other government agencies to recruit and train “psychic spies,” individuals believed to have extrasensory perception that might help locate hostages, uncover enemy secrets, or gather critical intelligence.
The project focused on activities such as remote viewing, where participants attempted to “see” events, people, or places from a distance without any physical interaction. This real-life attempt to harness psychic phenomena for espionage reveals an unusual side to Cold War intelligence efforts, blending scientific research with unconventional tactics.
Stargate’s existence shows how, during tense geopolitical times, intelligence agencies considered every possible advantage—including the untapped potential of the human mind. These efforts raised important questions about the boundaries of intelligence gathering, science, and belief in the modern era.
Origins Of The Stargate Project
The Stargate Project was not a product of sudden inspiration but was driven by official interest in psychic abilities and global political rivalry. Early focus on extrasensory perception (ESP) research combined with Cold War anxieties after intel surfaced about similar Soviet efforts.
Early CIA Interest In ESP
The CIA began evaluating ESP and other psychic phenomena in the early 1970s. Officials sought practical ways to utilize remote viewing and clairvoyance for intelligence gathering. This was motivated by reports of individuals claiming they could visualize hidden objects or locations from a distance.
Funds were allocated to research institutes and contractors, especially the Stanford Research Institute (SRI). There, scientists tested subjects for remote perception of targets, such as sealed envelopes or distant rooms.
The agency viewed these trials as experimental, prioritizing usable results for espionage. Although skepticism remained among some officials, interest persisted because new methods of intelligence collection were always in demand.
Influence Of The Cold War
Geopolitical pressures played a critical role in the origins of the Stargate Project. During the Cold War, the possibility that the Soviet Union could develop effective psychic espionage capabilities alarmed U.S. policymakers.
Allegations emerged that Soviet researchers were making significant investments in parapsychology, leading American agencies to worry that the U.S. could lose an unexpected advantage. This drove funding and urgency, as officials aimed to keep pace with or surpass any Soviet advancements.
Government reports and briefings emphasized the potential threat of an "ESP gap," similar to earlier concerns about missile technology. This led agencies to explore unorthodox projects, including the systematic study of psychic phenomena for military and intelligence purposes.
Soviet Union’s ESP Research
Intelligence agencies received credible reports throughout the 1960s and 1970s about the Soviet Union’s commitment to psychic research. Soviet programs reportedly involved scientific studies of telepathy, remote viewing, and other extrasensory perception capabilities.
The Soviets established military and scientific units dedicated to parapsychological research. Investments included laboratory experiments, field exercises, and training individuals in practical applications of ESP.
Key Details:
Soviet Activities Description Research Institutes Conducted controlled laboratory experiments Military Involvement Implemented in strategic and defense contexts Focus Areas Telepathy, remote viewing, psychokinesis
U.S. intelligence saw this as a national security issue, contributing directly to the launch and continuation of the Stargate Project.
The Launch And Structure Of Project Stargate
Project Stargate began as a classified effort by the U.S. government to investigate psychic phenomena for military and intelligence purposes. The project was shaped by collaboration among several federal agencies, academic contractors, and operational facilities with distinct roles.
Formation And Agencies Involved
Stargate originated in the early 1970s amid concerns about reported Soviet research into psychic spying. Funding from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) drove early development.
Other agencies, including the Army and other branches of the intelligence community, later joined. The program went through several names, including Grill Flame and Center Lane before becoming known as Stargate. Each agency had its own directives and objectives, but the unifying goal remained: to determine whether remote viewing and other psychic abilities could be practical tools for intelligence work.
The project’s oversight shifted among agencies, reflecting varying levels of support and skepticism. By the late 1980s, the DIA took the lead, consolidating separate efforts under the Stargate name.
Stanford Research Institute’s Role
The Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in California played a central role in Stargate’s scientific foundation. SRI researchers, notably physicists Harold Puthoff and Russell Targ, designed controlled experiments to test remote viewing.
Their work helped establish protocols for evaluating psychic claims and structured how data would be collected and measured. Reports produced by SRI supported the continuation and further funding of the research, despite mixed results.
SRI’s findings—often summarized and presented to government officials—were instrumental in legitimizing further investment in psychic research. The collaboration between SRI scientists and government agencies provided methodological rigor to the project and set benchmarks for performance.
Fort Meade Operations
By the 1980s, operational aspects of Stargate were conducted primarily at Fort Meade, Maryland. The Army’s unit, composed of both military personnel and civilian contractors, was responsible for carrying out remote viewing sessions designed to gather intelligence.
Sessions involved trained individuals, sometimes referred to as “psychic soldiers,” attempting to describe hidden targets or past events based on psychic impressions. Fort Meade became the hub for coordinating tasking requests from various government entities, analyzing the results, and communicating findings to clients.
The day-to-day activities included selecting targets, holding sessions, and debriefing the remote viewers. The organization of the Fort Meade unit allowed the U.S. government to explore unconventional intelligence methods in a structured, systematic way.
Remote Viewing: Methodology And Experiences
Remote viewing was the central technique of the Stargate Project, designed to gather intelligence using claimed psychic abilities. United States Army personnel and civilian psychics attempted to describe or sketch distant or hidden targets—sometimes with surprising detail.
Training And Techniques
Remote viewers underwent specialized training to sharpen their perceptual skills and reduce bias. The process often began with relaxation techniques, such as controlled breathing and guided imagery, to quiet the mind.
Instruction focused on “blinding” viewers to target details so their impressions would not be influenced by preconceptions. Leading figures in parapsychology developed protocols to record sessions and minimize external cues.
A typical session involved a monitor and a psychic. The monitor provided coded coordinates or simple cues. The viewer then reported impressions—visuals, sounds, shapes—or sketch images of the target.
Skills were refined through repeated practice with real-world feedback. Table 1 outlines some key elements of the protocol:
Technique Purpose Relaxation exercises Enhance receptiveness Double-blind sessions Prevent information leakage Independent monitoring Maintain protocol integrity
Notable Mission Accounts
Project Stargate reportedly contributed to several intelligence operations. Accounts from declassified documents and participants describe missions aimed at Soviet military installations, nuclear sites, and hidden hostages.
In some cases, remote viewers sketched features of secret locations or technologies before official confirmation. One well-known case involved locating a downed Soviet bomber in Africa, with the coordinates produced by a psychic closely matching the actual site.
Descriptions from mission logs suggest that the accuracy of information varied widely. Some missions produced ambiguous data, while a few yielded detailed observations that matched subsequent intelligence collection.
Target Selection: Military And Otherwise
Most targets in the Stargate Project were military or intelligence-related. These included locating missile silos, submarine bases, and encrypted communications centers. Remote viewers were assigned randomly coded locations or “coordinates” that corresponded to real targets unknown to them.
The program also experimented with non-military topics, such as missing persons, narcotics operations, and even archaeological sites. Choosing targets blindly helped researchers test claims that psychic spying worked without normal sensory input.
Military, intelligence community, and parapsychology experts collaborated closely when selecting what would be “viewed.” The intention was always to provide actionable intelligence or experimental results rather than anecdotal stories.
The Role Of Psychics
The Stargate Project recruited both professional psychics and ordinary military personnel with potential psychic abilities. Some, like Joseph McMoneagle, became well-known for their long-term involvement and claimed successes.
Psychics, or “remote viewers,” came from varied backgrounds, including intelligence, the army, and civilian life. They received standardized training but brought unique approaches to each session.
Their roles were strictly defined: respond only to cues or coordinates, describe impressions without analysis, and work under observation. The program’s results depended largely on the individual viewer’s talents and their ability to work under controlled, repeatable conditions.
Key Figures In America’s Psychic Spy Program
Several individuals became central to the Stargate Project, each taking on unique roles as remote viewers, program developers, or outside critics. Their experiences, claims, and analyses shaped how the program operated and how it was later perceived.
Joseph McMoneagle’s Contributions
Joseph McMoneagle, often referred to as "Remote Viewer #1," was one of the earliest participants in the Stargate Project. He took part in hundreds of remote viewing sessions during his military career.
Known for his detailed reports, McMoneagle contributed to intelligence operations by attempting to describe foreign sites and activities from a distance. He claimed to have remote viewed Soviet military installations and provided sketches used in military assessments.
McMoneagle was awarded the Legion of Merit for his military service, which included his psychic work. His involvement became widely known after his retirement, when he actively discussed the potential and limitations of remote viewing.
Ingo Swann’s Remote Viewing Legacy
Ingo Swann, an artist and self-taught psychic, played a foundational role in developing controlled remote viewing procedures for Stargate. Swann worked closely with Stanford Research Institute scientists to test and formalize protocols for psychic experiments starting in the 1970s.
He is credited with developing the structured methodology that remote viewers used, aiming to reduce ambiguity and improve repeatability. Swann was involved in numerous high-profile experiments, including attempts to describe hidden coordinates or even lunar features not publicly available at the time.
His methods were central to training later generations of remote viewers. Swann's insistence on protocols and feedback set the standard for much of the research throughout Stargate’s existence.
Uri Geller’s Involvement
Uri Geller, known internationally as a magician and self-described psychic, was invited to participate in laboratory tests at Stanford Research Institute. His involvement was intended to measure the reliability of claimed psychic abilities under controlled conditions.
Geller underwent a series of experiments where he was asked to reproduce drawings and perceive objects hidden in envelopes. Some documented sessions showed results that the investigators initially saw as statistically significant.
However, debate about the experimental rigor and Geller’s background as a performer led to skepticism within and outside the intelligence community. His contribution is often cited as a high-profile example of the intersection between public fascination and intelligence interests.
Ray Hyman And Skeptical Analysis
Ray Hyman, a psychologist and noted skeptic, was tasked with examining the scientific merit of remote viewing experiments. He conducted analyses and reviews of the research protocols used during Stargate and related projects.
Hyman systematically evaluated the data, highlighting inconsistencies in methodology and a lack of controls. He concluded that most of the experimental evidence fell short of scientific standards required for validation.
His critical reports influenced decision-makers and contributed to ongoing debates about the legitimacy of psychic phenomena in intelligence operations. Hyman’s involvement provided an essential counterbalance to claims made by proponents inside the program.
Results And Impact Of Stargate Operations
Stargate's results remain heavily debated, as declassified documents expose both occasional successes and significant failures. U.S. intelligence agencies invested years and resources in investigating psychic phenomena, with results influencing Pentagon strategies and intelligence operations.
Success Stories And Anecdotal Claims
Some proponents point to instances where remote viewers provided useful or verifiable information. Reports describe psychics identifying the location of a lost Soviet Typhoon submarine and assisting in locating hostages overseas.
Certain declassified documents detail cases where details such as building layouts or object locations provided leads in intelligence work. However, information often varied in specificity and accuracy.
Supporters argue that even a handful of successes justified continued research. Some claimed the methods uncovered unique insights not available through traditional espionage.
Notable International Operations
Stargate operations spanned both domestic and international assignments, often focusing on Cold War adversaries. Analysts used psychic techniques to attempt to gather data about Soviet facilities, including weapons silos and submarine movements.
Some remote viewers were tasked with describing details at foreign embassies or tracking suspected UFO activity. Missions also included efforts to collect intelligence on terrorist groups and identify the whereabouts of foreign hostages.
Although there were isolated reports of actionable data, larger reviews, such as the American Institutes for Research assessment, questioned the overall effectiveness. The program’s contributions reportedly influenced select Pentagon decisions, but not consistently.
Controversial Missions And Failures
Controversy surrounded Stargate due to high-profile failures and skepticism within the intelligence community. Many missions produced vague, unverifiable, or contradictory information, resulting in missed leads.
Declassified assessments often highlighted inconsistencies. A notable case involved an attempt to locate a kidnapped U.S. general; the psychic’s descriptions proved unusable.
Skeptics in government and science often cited the lack of reproducible results and the subjective nature of psychic data. Reports indicated a disconnect between reported psychic phenomena and outcomes that could be reliably translated into action. This led to mounting criticism and was a primary reason for the program’s eventual termination.
Evaluations, Skepticism, And Legacy
Stargate Project attracted intense scrutiny both during its operation and after its closure. The program’s controversial methods and claims about psychic phenomena have prompted serious debate about its scientific validity, government transparency, and influence on culture.
Scientific Reviews And Criticism
Scientific assessments of the Stargate Project reveal persistent skepticism about claims of psychic ability. The American Institutes for Research conducted a notable review in 1995, concluding that the data did not provide reliable evidence for practical intelligence gathering using remote viewing or extra sensory perception (ESP).
Psychologist Ray Hyman played a significant role in evaluating the research. He highlighted poor experimental controls, possible sensory leakage, and statistical flaws. Groups like the Cognitive Sciences Laboratory did attempt more rigorous approaches, but their findings also failed to convince mainstream science.
Critics raised concerns about potential hoaxes, self-deception, or fraud rather than deliberate intelligence breakthroughs. Investigations into phenomena like psychokinesis and ESP remained highly controversial, with most scientists classifying them as unproven.
Declassification And Media Attention
The FBI, other agencies, and the public became more aware of Stargate when it was declassified in the 1990s. Declassified documents detailed experiments, participants, and even failures, fueling both transparency and renewed debate.
Extensive media attention followed. News outlets and books—like “Psychic Warrior” and “America’s Psychic Spies”—described the program’s ambitions and its flaws. This scrutiny exposed the internal disagreements about effectiveness and ethics.
Many saw the program as an example of Cold War excess, while others felt its declassification was overdue. The revelations shifted discussion from secrecy to critical analysis, legitimizing skepticism about paranormal research in intelligence.
Impact On Popular Culture
Stargate Project’s legacy has appeared across films, television, and literature. The most well-known example is the satirical film “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” which explores military psychic experiments based loosely on real events and individuals tied to Stargate.
Use of terms like “psychic spy” and references to supernatural powers became common in fictional accounts, blurring lines between fact and myth. This portrayal often exaggerates the abilities explored, but it has kept interest in parapsychological research alive in the public imagination.
Stargate’s influence has extended to discussions about the limits of science, skepticism about government projects, and popularization of concepts such as ESP and military remote viewing. The project remains a source of fascination and debate in both scientific and cultural contexts.
Related Myths And Historical Connections
Many connections have been drawn between the Stargate Project and ancient legends, particularly those involving biblical artifacts and mysterious powers. Popular culture has also fueled misconceptions, blending historical facts with speculation and conspiracy theories.
Biblical Artifacts And Remote Viewing
Some claimed the CIA hoped to uncover lost biblical relics, like the Ark of the Covenant or the sacred chest said to hold the Ten Commandments. These stories linked remote viewing with the search for such objects, suggesting intelligence agencies believed psychic abilities might locate artifacts lost since the times of Jerusalem and Babylon.
There is little evidence the Stargate Project officially targeted Middle Eastern relics. However, alleged missions occasionally referenced biblical history, partly due to the enduring intrigue around items like the Ark. Connections between psychic research and biblical mysteries often stem from unverified accounts and public fascination rather than confirmed CIA operations.
Interest in Jerusalem and its role in biblical history sometimes appeared in remote viewing experiments. Despite dramatic claims, the main documented uses for remote viewing centered on military or intelligence tasks, not artifact hunting.
Conspiracy Theories And Misconceptions
Media depictions of America’s psychic spies have encouraged a variety of conspiracy theories. Some believe the Stargate Project’s real aim was to tap into ancient supernatural knowledge from sites like Babylon or Jerusalem, even though government records do not support this view.
Common misconceptions include exaggerated portrayals of psychic abilities and their effectiveness. Lists and documentaries sometimes suggest the project influenced world events or retrieved lost knowledge, but declassified reports point to limited practical results.
Several books and television programs have linked Stargate to secret searches for Middle Eastern artifacts. These stories usually combine unrelated historical mysteries with the project’s real intelligence experiments, creating a mythology that often strays from the known facts.
