It took into consideration factors such as the rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of life in surrounding planets and the number of planets per solar system.
However, as technology improves and understanding of the Universe grows, NASA and institutions such as the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Santiago High School, California, have updated how the chances are calculated.
The team has not provided a clear answer into what the chances are, but essentially added several factors to the Drake Equation.
One such factor which was not considered in 1961 is that species tend to find a way of killing themselves off.