Background According to the contract paperwork available below: “The objective of this contract is to provide scientific and engineering research and development (R&D) for the Air Force Research Laboratory, Propulsion Directorate (AFRLIPR), Edwards AFB, CA. This effort will provide on-site theoretical and experimental rocket and missile propulsion research in the physical and engineering disciplines. Typical research to be conducted includes investigation of High Energy Density Matter (HEDM), Chemical/Physical Science and Engineering Disciplines, as well as Aerophysics interactions.” This contract resulted in an unknown number (but appears to be numerous) of reports regarding propulsion science. This was also the contract wherein…
Author: John Greenewald
Background The following is a statement from Thomas H. Armstrong, Esq., General Counsel, U.S. Government Accountability Office, regarding a legal decision issued on January 16, 2020: “Today, GAO issued a legal decision concluding that the Office of Management and Budget violated the law when it withheld approximately $214 million appropriated to DOD for security assistance to Ukraine. The President has narrow, limited authority to withhold appropriations under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. OMB told GAO that it withheld the funds to ensure that they were not spent “in a manner that could conflict with the President’s foreign policy.” The…
https://youtu.be/Wu_lEhXkkVU Background In September of 2019, I requested information on a (circa) 2009 Navy investigation of the leak of the “FLIR1” or USS Nimitz UFO video. This video first appeared on the internet back in 2007, and came to the attention of the Navy in 2009. They investigated, and decided against pursuing any action since 5,000 sailors on board the should could potentially have been the leaker. They felt no need to pursue anything further. I was told that NCIS, by a secondary source in addition to my official Navy statement, would have documentation. My original FOIA request was filed,…
Background A Brane Craft is a membrane spacecraft with solar cells, command and control electronics, communications systems, antennas, propulsion systems, attitude and proximity sensors, and shape control actuators as thin film structures manufactured on ~10 micron thick plastic sheets. This revolutionary spacecraft design can have a thickness of tens of microns with a surface area of square meters to maximize area-to-mass ratios for exceptionally low-mass spacecraft. Communications satellites, solar power satellites, solar electric propulsion stages, and solar sails can benefit from Brane Craft design. It also enables new missions that require low-mass spacecraft with exceptionally high delta-V. Active removal of…
Background The Insectothopter was a miniature unmanned aerial vehicle developed by the United States Central Intelligence Agency’s research and development office in the 1970s. The Insectothopter was the size of a dragonfly, and was hand-painted to look like one. It was powered by a small gasoline engine to make the wings move and was fueled by a very small amount of gas. The project was abandoned when the Insectothopter was found to be too difficult to control in crosswinds. It took nearly seven years for documents to be released on the Insectothopter. They were finally received in January of 2020…