The CIA’s Project Stargate
Inside America’s Psychic Espionage Program
The CIA’s Project Stargate was a secret Cold War program that investigated whether psychic abilities, such as remote viewing, could be used for intelligence gathering and espionage. During the 1970s and 1980s, American intelligence agencies turned to unconventional methods to gain an edge, even recruiting individuals who claimed to have extrasensory perception.
The idea behind Project Stargate was to determine if psychic spies could accurately gather information about foreign targets, including the location of secret sites or missing persons. Reports from the era indicate that both successes and failures shaped the controversial legacy of the program.
Interest in Project Stargate has persisted for decades due to its unusual mix of government secrecy and claims of real psychic phenomena. Stories from insiders and declassified records continue to raise questions about the limits—and possibilities—of human perception in intelligence work.
Origins of Project Stargate
Project Stargate began as a response to reports of psychic research behind the Iron Curtain and questions inside the U.S. intelligence community about unconventional intelligence-gathering methods. The involvement of academic institutions and ongoing research into parapsychology laid the foundation for an unusual government experiment.
Historical Context: The Cold War Psychic Race
The Cold War drove both the United States and the Soviet Union to seek new ways to gain an edge in intelligence. Reports surfaced in the 1970s of Soviet efforts to develop psychic abilities for espionage and military advantage.
American officials, including the CIA, perceived a potential gap in psychic research. Fearing a disadvantage, they authorized funding for U.S.-based studies to evaluate alleged extrasensory perception (ESP) and related concepts.
This competitive environment provided the justification for launching military and intelligence programs that focused on remote viewing and other psychic activities.
Early Research and Influences
Interest in parapsychology saw a marked increase during the 1960s and 1970s. Researchers conducted laboratory studies to determine if humans could perceive information beyond normal sensory means.
Key influences included experiments in telepathy, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis. While skeptics remained, some results attracted the attention of intelligence agencies.
Individuals with claimed psychic abilities, including Uri Geller, were brought in for observation or testing. This widespread curiosity intersected directly with U.S. government priorities for innovation in surveillance and counterintelligence.
Stanford Research Institute’s Role
The Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in California became a central hub for formal evaluations of psychic phenomena. Funded partly by the CIA, SRI researchers Russell Targ and Harold Puthoff led experiments on remote viewing—where subjects attempted to describe distant or unseen targets.
At SRI, structured scientific protocols were used. Data was documented and assessed for accuracy and repeatability. The institute's work helped Project Stargate transition from informal investigations to formal projects under government sponsorship.
SRI’s reputation for research rigor helped legitimize early psychic intelligence efforts, leading to further expansions by U.S. military and intelligence organizations.
Objectives and Structure
Project Stargate was initiated to explore the potential of psychic phenomena, particularly remote viewing, for intelligence purposes. Its organization, funding, and relationship with other code-named projects were dictated by security protocols and the need for classified oversight.
Primary Goals of the Stargate Project
The main objective of the Stargate Project was to investigate and evaluate the usefulness of psychic abilities, such as remote viewing, for gathering intelligence. Remote viewing involved individuals attempting to describe or sketch locations, objects, or information at geographically distant sites.
Efforts focused on determining whether psychic methods could reliably produce actionable intelligence in areas where traditional espionage faced limitations. The CIA and U.S. Army were especially interested due to concern about similar Soviet programs.
Researchers performed controlled experiments and operational tests. Only data judged to meet specific accuracy criteria were considered potentially valuable. Emphasis was placed on military and intelligence applications, not scientific exploration of psychic phenomena in general.
Funding and Oversight
Funding for Stargate and related projects came from several U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and U.S. Army. Each agency allocated budgets based on annual reviews and perceived value of the research.
Oversight mechanisms shifted over time. Early years saw hands-on management from individual CIA officers. As the project matured, control often moved between agencies depending on administration priorities and classification requirements.
Progress, methods, and outcomes were reviewed periodically through internal reports and program audits. This oversight aimed to ensure that project activities aligned with national security interests and justified ongoing funding.
Associated Programs and Code Names
Stargate was not an isolated enterprise. It followed and sometimes merged with previous efforts under different code names, including Grill Flame, Center Lane, and Sun Streak.
The table below shows some of the associated programs and their primary managing agencies:
Program Managing Agency Timeframe Grill Flame U.S. Army/CIA 1978–1983 Center Lane U.S. Army Intelligence 1983–1985 Sun Streak Defense Intelligence Agency 1985–1990 Star Gate DIA/CIA 1991–1995
Multiple code names reflected organizational changes and shifting administrative responsibility. This structure helped maintain project secrecy while allowing research to continue across different government branches.
Psychic Spies and Remote Viewing
Project Stargate explored the use of psychic phenomena for intelligence gathering. The core focus centered on remote viewing, a method that aimed to access hidden information at a distance using trained psychics.
Role and Selection of Remote Viewers
Remote viewers, also known as psychic spies, were tasked with obtaining information from remote locations without physical access. These individuals attempted to describe people, places, or objects located far away, relying only on their perception and intuition.
Selection of remote viewers was meticulous. Candidates came from various backgrounds, including military personnel and civilians. Qualities sought included high levels of discipline, open-mindedness, and sometimes prior demonstration of psychic abilities.
Some, like Ingo Swann, were professional psychics or had notable reputations in parapsychology. Others, such as Joseph McMoneagle, were experienced military officers selected for their analytical skills and psychological traits. The screening process often involved psychological assessments and trials to ensure consistency and reliability.
Training and Techniques
Training in Project Stargate combined structured protocols and open-ended techniques. The most prominent method was coordinate remote viewing (CRV), developed by researchers Russell Targ and Hal Puthoff with input from Ingo Swann.
Trainees followed step-by-step protocols, often starting with verbal or written instructions identifying only a generic target code. The process required mental focus, minimal outside influence, and a controlled environment. Emphasis was placed on keeping sessions free from cues that could bias outcomes.
Sessions typically included multiple phases: relaxation, description of impressions, and feedback. Sketching and note-taking played a large part in documenting perceptions. Iterative feedback helped viewers recognize and strengthen their abilities over time.
Notable Psychics and Personnel
Several influential figures contributed to Project Stargate. Ingo Swann was instrumental, both as a viewer and co-creator of protocols. Joseph (Joe) McMoneagle, known as remote viewer 001, reported numerous cases of accurate remote viewing during his tenure.
Russell Targ and Hal Puthoff ran foundational research at SRI International, helping to legitimize remote viewing studies. Uri Geller, although more controversial, participated in early experiments and demonstrated purported remote viewing skills under controlled conditions.
Other remote viewers and support staff played key roles in the project’s operations, contributing to procedures and expanding the depth of psychic research within the U.S. intelligence community.
Scientific Methodology and Protocols
Researchers involved in Project Stargate used structured scientific approaches to minimize errors and bias. The validity of the experimental processes was central to claims regarding extrasensory perception (ESP) and anomalous cognition.
Experimental Setup
Project Stargate initially relied on standardized procedures developed at SRI International and later at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). Experiments aimed to evaluate abilities like remote viewing, telepathy, and other forms of psychic phenomena.
A typical experiment involved a “viewer” attempting to describe a hidden target—such as a photograph or physical location. Researchers strictly separated participants and used randomized selections for targets to reduce unintentional cues.
Experiments also incorporated double-blind protocols to limit experimenter influence. Results were documented and compared against controls to assess accuracy. Data from these sessions were recorded, scored, and subjected to statistical analysis.
Use of Control Groups and Faraday Cage
To address criticisms about potential sensory leakage, researchers implemented control groups. These groups helped distinguish genuine ESP from guesswork or normal perception.
The Faraday cage was often used during sessions to block radio waves and electromagnetic signals. This setup ensured that remote viewers, especially in telepathy or anomalous cognition tests, did not receive information through conventional means.
Control Measures:
Independent judges evaluated session data.
Data was anonymized before analysis.
Physical barriers such as the Faraday cage were used to enhance the experiment's integrity.
Such controls aimed to validate findings as authentically psychic, not products of subtle non-psychic cues.
Operational Missions and Key Results
Project Stargate focused on using psychic phenomena, known as remote viewing, for practical applications in military and intelligence operations. Notable results included attempts to locate hostages, identify foreign military sites, and explore unconventional intelligence targets.
Military and Intelligence Applications
The U.S. Army and CIA used remote viewers to gather information on Soviet military activities. Psychics were tasked with describing the locations and functions of sensitive installations, including missile sites and the Typhoon-class submarine. Attempts were also made to assess potential threats such as unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and foreign weapons testing.
Some sessions delved into ancient sites like Babylon to seek intelligence on hidden artifacts. Remote viewers sometimes attempted psychokinesis—moving objects with the mind—but the main emphasis was information retrieval. Feedback and results were inconsistent, but there were occasional successes in matching descriptions to real-world sites, which kept interest alive during the project's 23-year duration.
Case Studies: Hostages and Military Targets
One notable focus was the identification of hostage locations during international crises. Remote viewers provided details about buildings, landscapes, and even objects near hostages, such as during the Iran hostage crisis. Intelligence officers compared this information with other sources, but reliability was often mixed.
In efforts to track high-value military targets, remote viewers attempted to pinpoint missile facilities and submarine locations, such as the Soviet Typhoon submarine. There were rare instances where descriptions provided clues that aligned with subsequent satellite or intelligence data, but many such successes lacked measurable accuracy. Despite inconsistencies, these missions demonstrated the variety of high-stakes tasks assigned to psychic spies.
Controversies and Skepticism
Project Stargate attracted significant controversy due to its focus on paranormal phenomena and attempts to use psychic abilities for espionage purposes. Critics raised concerns about the scientific foundation of its research and the transparency of its results.
Scientific Critiques and Debates
Skeptics questioned whether psychic phenomena like remote viewing have any reliable scientific basis. Noted psychologist Ray Hyman, who evaluated Project Stargate's findings, argued that results could be explained by chance, methodological flaws, or subconscious cues, rather than evidence of the supernatural.
Peer-reviewed studies often failed to replicate results obtained within the project. Many scientists contended that the protocols lacked strict controls and failed to rule out conventional explanations for apparent successes. As a result, the academic community generally regarded claims of bona fide psychic abilities with deep skepticism.
The broader scientific community emphasizes that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Stargate's reliance on subjective reports and the absence of a plausible physical mechanism for “psychic spying” limited its credibility among researchers studying perception and cognition.
Questions About Data and Methodology
There were persistent concerns about the quality and handling of data collected during Project Stargate's operations. Some critics highlighted inconsistencies, selective reporting, and a lack of standardized procedures for evaluating remote viewing sessions.
Evaluators such as Ray Hyman pointed to issues like experimenter bias and the retrospective interpretation of ambiguous results. Documentation was sometimes incomplete, making independent verification difficult.
The use of small sample sizes, the absence of long-term controlled trials, and unclear success criteria weakened confidence in the project’s outcomes. Concerns persisted regarding whether the intelligence community’s interest was based more on Cold War pressures than on robust empirical findings.
Declassification and Public Perception
The release of Project Stargate’s records in the 1990s sparked significant interest and debate. Official documents, media reports, and later works by journalists and authors shaped how the public came to view the CIA’s foray into psychic espionage.
Release of Documents and Media Coverage
In 1995, the CIA declassified extensive documents related to Project Stargate after a comprehensive internal review. These files included operational reports, assessments, and project summaries. A CIA report concluded that psychic remote viewing had not produced actionable intelligence, leading to the project's termination.
Major news outlets covered the declassification, often highlighting the more unusual claims, such as "mind readers" and "psychic spies" working for the government. Jim Schnabel examined the documents and interviewed involved personnel, offering a detailed account in his book. Podcasts and investigative reports have revisited the files, scrutinizing their content and reliability.
The release of materials created transparency but also fueled skepticism about the program's scientific basis and intelligence value.
Impact on Popular Culture
Project Stargate inspired a wide range of cultural works that referenced or were based on the idea of psychic spies. The Men Who Stare at Goats, a book by Jon Ronson, drew on declassified documents and interviews to satirically recount the military’s interest in paranormal phenomena. The book was later adapted into a feature film, broadening public awareness.
Documentaries, podcasts, and TV programs similarly highlighted the project’s stranger elements. Popular media sometimes presented events and claims with humor or irony, further shaping public attitudes. References to declassified documents and firsthand accounts from figures like Jim Schnabel grounded these portrayals, even as skepticism about psychic research persisted.
Legacy of Project Stargate
Project Stargate influenced both scientific and fringe discussions about psychic phenomena. Its legacy is marked by its effect on parapsychological study and persistent debates about whether psychic abilities have practical value.
Influence on Modern Parapsychology
Project Stargate brought attention and credibility to parapsychology within government and academic circles. Military funding and interest led research institutions, such as SRI International, to explore remote viewing and other psychic powers in a structured environment.
The project produced case studies and raw data still referenced in parapsychological research. For instance, remote viewing protocols developed for Stargate are now considered benchmarks for laboratory psychic testing.
Despite skepticism from mainstream science, many in the parapsychology field point to the project’s declassified reports as valuable material. These records continue to influence experimental design and provide a historical framework for current psychic research efforts.
Ongoing Debates and Research
Debate continues over the reliability and usefulness of the psychic phenomena studied in Stargate, especially remote viewing. Critics highlight the lack of replicable results and question the interpretation of project data, citing methodological challenges and possible biases.
Supporters argue that certain outcomes, such as accurate descriptions of concealed targets, warrant further study. Some private organizations and academic groups have attempted to reproduce Stargate’s experiments, occasionally reporting mixed or inconclusive results.
Academic journals and panels still discuss the ethics, funding, and scientific standards for psychic research. The project’s history remains a case study for both advocates and skeptics analyzing the role of psychic abilities in intelligence work.
