Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Twitter user @Jay09784691, in a tweet dated today, tweeted that:

"Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies released a newsletter in 2010 that links BAASS with a 'Nuclear Materials Group.'"

@Jay09784691 provided a link to a seven page PDF file.

Newsletter

The PDF file was a copy of the Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Spring 2010 Newsletter titled "HRCeNews -2010, Spring." Page three carried a short item which read:

"The Nuclear Materials Group (lead: Dr Thomas Hartmann) has established a formal collaboration with the Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS). The collaboration provides analytical assistance to BAASS for characterizing solid phases and precipitates."

Question

@Jay09784691 posed a question in his tweet:

"Do we know if BAASS studied normal issue, or were specifically tied to phenomena?"

My thoughts on this question are reflected in a statement on the Bigelow Aerospace website of September 2008.

"Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS), a sister company to Bigelow Aerospace, is a newly formed research organization that focuses on the identification, evaluation and acquisition of novel and emerging future technologies worldwide as this specifically relates to spacecraft. BAASS is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada."

A search of Nevada State records reveals that BAASS was created in January 2008. In September 2008 BAASS received a contract as a result of its bid arising from the 18 August 2008 Defense Intelligence Agency's solicitation for work on its Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP.) 

It would seem to me, that the answer to Jay's question, was that in the time period September 2008 to 2010 (at least), BAASS was focused solely on phenomena related work.

Search for more data

I conducted a search of the websites for both the University of Nevada, at Las Vegas, and the University of Nevada, at Reno, for additional references to BAASS in the 2008 to 2010 time frame, but found nothing more. 

I checked my list of Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs) as supplied to us by KLAS-TV reporters George Knapp and Matt Adams, to see whether or not Dr Thomas Hartmann was one of the 37 named authors. He was not. (A 38th DIRD author's name was redacted.)

I found one "Research scientist/Engineer" who according to their LinkedIn profile, worked at BAASS between July 2009 and June 2010. In August 2010, {Spring 2010 is March to May 2010] this individual went to work as a Nuclear Engineering researcher at the University of Nevada, at Las Vegas. Whether or not this was in the "Nuclear Materials Group" is unknown. 

I found that Dr Thomas Hartmann was still at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and so I sent him an email, and quoted the relevant paragraph from the Spring 2010 HRCeNews. I have asked Dr Hartmann if he can provide any further details of the University/BAASS connection? I will report back if I receive any response.

Source: https://www.unlv.edu/people/thomas-hartmann-phd

Dr Hartmann is an Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department. His areas of expertise are listed as "Nuclear waste forms, advanced nuclear fuels, x-ray crystallography and solid phase analysis." He holds a Diploma in Mineralogy, University of Heidelberg; and a Ph.D in Minerology from the University of Heidelberg.

Solid phase analysis

Typing the words "solid phase analysis" into a search engine leads to articles about "solid phase extraction" (SPE). Here, SPE "is a sample preparation process by which compounds that are dissolved or suspended in a liquid mixture are separated from other compounds in the mixture according to their physical and chemical properties. Analytical laboratories use solid phase extraction to concentrate and purify samples for analysis."

In short

It would seem that Jay has discovered that BAASS, in mid 2010, contracted the University of Nevada, at Las Vegas, to assist with analysis of materials.Whether these materials were related to UAP is not known for certain. However, on the basis of probability,and what we already know that BAASS was undertaking; my guess, is that it was related to UAP.