Following the second Abydos mission, the President ordered the formation of 9 SG teams whose duties would be to perform reconnaissance, determine threats, and if possible, to make peaceful contact with the peoples of other worlds. A presidential directive later expanded the orders to evaluate the scientific and cultural value of each mission. The overall mandate of stargate teams remains to seek new allies and procure technologies to aid in the defense against the Goa'uld or other alien aggressors.