Who pays for all this stuff?
SETI programs are generally supported by
private donors. The SETI Institute supports
some of this research as does The Planetary
Society, both of whom get a lot of their money
from donors, including this guy.
http://www.imdb.com/EGallery?source=ss&group=0119567&photo=Ss/0119567/5&path=pgallery&path_key=Spielberg,%20Steven