BAASS' Project Colares/Brazil investigations

Historical perspective

In a blog article published in July 2024 I reviewed the interest of various individuals and organizations, in Brazilian UAP reports. One of these organizations was Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS.)

In trying to piece together just what BAASS' deployment to Brazil entailed, French researcher Marc Cecotti and myself contacted a number of individuals in Brazil, the USA, and other countries. Our findings were reported in a series of Blog articles:

* 7 April 2020 "BAASS team visited Brazil"

* 17 April 2020 "Further insights into BAASS in Brazil in 2009"

* 24 April 2020 "BAASS in Brazil: emails and more"

* 28 April 2020 "BAASS Program Managers held meetings in Brazil."

Overall, we were able to build up a fairly clear picture of just what occurred during the BAASS visit to Brazil, and the purpose of their deployment.

The "Ten Month Report"

Pages 393 and following of the report give a detailed view of the Colares UAP events from 1977-1978, and the BAASS visit of 2009:

"On May 25 2009 two teams, a north team and a south team, from BAASS deployed to Brazil. The purpose of the north team's trip was to meet with two Brazilian UFO organiszations and leaders, as well as follow upon recent UFO sightings reported by several news media outlets...The south team travelled to various locations in Brazil in order to establish professional relationships between BAASS and several prominent Brazilian UFO organizations and leaders. The trip involved two BAASS program managers and occurred during the period May 25, 2009 through June 3, 2009."

From the work of Marc Cecotti and myself we deduced that the south team was Douglas Kurth and James A. Johnson. The north team was Melissa Godoy, Tim Koonce, Loran Huffman and Lucas Gornichec.  

An introductory section, of the report on "Brazilian Related UAP Material/Bob Pratt's Colares Files" summarizes what was known about the 1977-1978 events on and around the Brazilian island of Colares, previously publicly available on the Brazilian Air Forces' Operation Plate, relying heavily on the comprehensive work of US reporter Bob Pratt who conducted onsite investigations.

BAASS extracted data from this wealth of material, to prepare a CAPELLA database of the events at Colares. Page 415 of the report lists the "Brazil UAP Research Materials" which BAASS collected. BAASS teams in 2009 collected their own material supplied by individuals and organizations in Brazil.

What was BAASS doing with all this material? Page 422; "BAASS' interest is to examine the relationship between advanced space technology and physiological effects."

In the future

"In the future it would be beneficial for a BAASS team to take an investigative trip to Brazil to gather more information and materials from specific witnesses and victims associated with the Colares events."

"BAASS would like to acquire the entire portfolio of the Colares area investigation, including any official assessment made by the Brazilian Air Force, Brazilian government, or potential foreign military or government evaluation and assessments."

In a section headed "Progress on BAASS outreach to South America" details are given that "BAASS began a systematic program to research the number and quality of organizations in South America that were focused on UAPs,'" and gives a list of such organizations and their contact details.

Vallee

Given that Jacques Vallee made a number of visits to Brazil to gather data I note the following comment in Vallee's "Forbidden Science: Volume 6" in entries dated 2 and 4 July 2015.

"In the last few days my exchanges with the project have taken a new tone. In Brazil the BAASS team was composed of six investigators who travelled across the country, interviewed 17 officials, including General Uchoa, and came back with a report that led to a conference at the Brazilian embassy in DC, attended by Hal, Colm and Eric all under Air Force 'sponsorship.' A security officer determined that distribution of the report, after review by a military group, would be closed.  Since I am the only one of the group who met with Colonel Hollanda Lima and was briefed afterwards by his top security staff inside the Air Force base where the project was managed, I stand confused by all the obvious discrepancies. Many unreported details were shared with us, and we saw the original, secret data. I could have flagged errors and misquotes in later years. Now, I can't even read 'our' full report, even though my friends confess 'it doesn't reflect reality.'''

"I confess lingering concern about the way the Brazil trip was handled, a missed opportunity. Apart from a partial listing of medical cases, what I've seen rehashes Bob Pratt's data, unaware of the details Bill Calvert and had been shown in 1988. Bureaucracy at work? Or  something more nefarious that will demand that we forget what we'd uncovered about the beings? "

 

The BAASS "Project Campus"

What was Project Campus?

Of all the BAASS projects, the one which has received the least attention was Project Campus. According to the BAASS "Ten Month Report:"

"The overarching objective of Project Campus was to stimulate, motivate and encourage the senior levels of the academic community within the United States to involve themselves in study and research of very advanced aerial spacecraft that is presently considered phenomenological."

As a "test case" BAASS approached senior management of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The university responded positively. BAASS proposed ten scenarios to task the university with

"Studying consequences to the media, economy, department of defense, political groups, science, the general public, religion, public health and academia in the United States."

These scenarios ranged from multiple witness sightings, to announcements by the United States Air Force, or U.S. government officials, that UAP were real and extraterrestrial. The end result of the BAASS approach to the university 

"...was that Dr. Smith and four others have expressed strong interest in submitting a specific proposal to BAASS by August 2009."

Request for proposals

BAASS also sought other Request for Proposal (RFP) from:

* Battelle Memorial Institute

* Southwestern Research Institute

* Center for American Progress

* Sandia National Laboratories.

 The proposed budget for this research was $400,000.

The introduction of the RFP included "For the purpose of the proposed study we take the presence of such advanced exotic aerospace craft as a given."  The study would address three major issues:

1. "First, based on an-in-depth analysis of historical records, current data and political will, what is the likelihood that by 2050 there will be confirmation to the public by the U.S. government and its military authorities that aerospace craft whose technological capabilities are beyond those of our own most advanced military craft do indeed exist and traverse our air space at will? What are seen as the preconditions for such confirmation, and the probability that they would be made?"

2. "Second, under an assumption that such confirmation does occur by 2050, what would be a recommended course of action as to an optimal format for such confirmation? What realistically could be expected to be its effects, first on the military sector that is charged with defending our national airspace against intrusion by craft of unknown origin, and secondly on the U.S. body politic in the areas of commerce, religion, academia and so forth?"

3. "Third, if in the above analyses it becomes clear that, even in the timeframe approaching 2050 official (and especially military) considerations of a stance of publicly acknowledged material co-existence is almost certain to remain fraught with conflicting irresolvable viewpoints...what steps might be taken in the interim in the public sector by influential leaders and by organizations to ameliorate the potential deleterious effects of possibly unforeseen culture shock, to 'soften the societal blow' so to speak?"

As at the date of publication of the BAASS "Ten Month Report:"

"BAASS has not received a reply from CAP or SWRI regarding the RFP. Sandia National Laboratories volunteered that they did not have the expertise for the project and Battelle Memorial Institute declined the RFP."

National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS)

Questions such as the three above, were of interest to Robert Bigelow, long before BAASS was established in 2008. Prior to BAASS, Robert Bigelow had created the National Institute for Discovery Science (1996-2004.)

According to Jacques Vallee's book "Forbidden Science: Volume 4" page 324, in an entry dated 4 August 1996 making reference to a meeting of the NIDS Science Advisory Board:

"Another notion discussed at this meeting was that of 'The Day After: What would happen if the government was to announce Alien intrusions? Has there been a 50 year program of indoctrination of earthlings?"

Later from page 439 of the same book, in an entry dated 9 January 1999. "Bob Bigelow is still fascinated with 'Day After' scenarios."

Comment: A 'Day After' scenario poses the question , what would be the effect on human society the day following a major event, such as what happens if a large asteroid collides with the planet? or the U.S. government announces that UAP are real and are extraterrestrial spacecraft?

I wrote an article "NIDS and the 'Day after' scenarios" back in December 2019, which includes links to historical NIDS documents on such questions.

The process of analysis of materials, by BAASS

Background

I am continuing my examination of the recently released BAASS "Ten Month Report." Prior to obtaining this copy, it was general knowledge that as part of their investigations, BAASS was looking to gather and analyse both biological and non-biological samples/materials. However, little was known, in the open literature, of the processes involved. 

It wasn't until 2018 that, in a blog post dated 6 November 2018 I reported that the Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, had, in 2010, entered a contract with BAASS to provide analysis services.  The announcement was made in a Spring 2010 Newsletter titled "HRVeNews-2020, Spring." Page 3 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."

French researcher Mark Cecotti, whom I worked with on several articles about BAASS, wrote to Dr Hartmann, in April 2020, and asked him about the work with BAASS. In response Dr Hartmann wrote, inter alia:

"I was looking through my data and noticed that we have indeed analyzed samples for BAASS represented by Colm Kelleher...However, this sample analysis was never framed into a formal collaboration between BAASS and UNLV by a contract administered through the UNLV office of sponsored programs. However, we performed solid phase analysis and elemental analysis of about a dozen samples including a 50-page report, as a teaser project and in hope for a formal collaboration in the future."

Dr. Hartmann was unable to locate that 50-oage report, but went on to comment:

"So he provided us with some spheres which turned out to be ion exchange beads. Or a rock sample with traces of hydraulic fluid...Further we analyzed some brown liquid in a plastic bottle which did not contain poison but was just muddy water."

Companies who might conduct analyses 

Now, thanks to pages 35-36 o the "Ten Month Report" we are aware of 10 other companies which BAASS had listed under "Identification of Laboratories for Independent Analyses" for "Chemical Analysis, Materials Characterization." Plus 3 companies listed under " Microbial Analyses."

One interesting process, of which I hadn't heard of, was titled "Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy  Analysis of Fingernails." "This is a technology whereby estimates of a radiation dose (dosimetry) received by an individual can be determined after an event."

Did BAASS utilise the analysis resources other than the University of Nevada, Las Vegas? Pages 54-82 of the "Ten Month Report" provide details of seven instances where BAASS investigators were deployed to visit the location of sightings. One of these came from a referral by a journalist; one from the DIA, and two from MUFON. The source of referral for the other three cases isn't provided. Reading through the case information reveals that in only one instance, i.e. Marathon, TX on 9 June 2009, was physical evidence gathered, namely fingernail clippings. However, no details of any analysis conducted were given. 

There was a BAASS AAWSAP administrator before Robert Bigelow

Introduction

I have been reading the recently released Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS)  Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) document "BAASS Ten Month report" dated 30 July 2009. There are a number of pieces of information, which, despite my deep interest and blogging about the BAASS AAWSAP, I was previously unaware. I will be publishing a series of blog posts about these. The first concerns the fact that before Robert Bigelow became the Administrator for the BAASS AAWSAP there was another individual who filled that role, albeit only for a short time.

The first BAASS monthly report

On page 3 of the "Ten Month report" there is reference to the first BAASS monthly report dated October 2008 discussing the time period 22 September 2008 to October 2008. It states that during that time, BAASS had only two employees, namely "Robert Bigelow and senior analyst John Schuessler (In September 2008, a BAASS administrator was hired, but shortly thereafter resigned.)" 

Who was this individual?

Who was this individual who resigned? The answer is to be found in Jacque Vallee's "Forbidden Science Volume 5" page 428. In a diary entry dated 24 August 2008, Vallee writes "A NASA manager named Al Holt has been approached to lead the BAASS project..."

In another diary entry dated 25 August 2008, page 429, Vallee writes "I hand-delivered to Bob two documents from Hal...as well as signed NDAs from all of us, including Al Holt."

Al Holt gets three mentions in FS5, page 76, where he attended an "inner circle" meeting, with Joe Firmage, Vallee and others. Plus pages 428 and 429, described above. 

Al Holt's name is missing from the list of permanent full time and significant part time employees found in the "Ten Month report." Holt's name isn't mentioned anywhere else, I can see, in respect of being The initial BAASS Administrator. Indeed, in FS6, Holt's name appears only once on page 64, in an entry dated 26 January 2011, recollecting a 2000 meeting at Firmage's home.

Holt's UAP interests

Holt's interest in UAP goes back many years. In 1980, he was involved with John Schuessler, in the detailed investigation of the 1980 Cash/Landrum UAP case. According to U.S. UAP researcher Curt Collins, Holt lectured at the second CUFOS Conference held Sep 25-27 1981 on "UFO Maneuvers and Radiation." (Later printed in The Spectrum of UFO Research (1988)..."

In June 1999, Holt co-authored a paper with Eric W. Davis and Hal Puthoff, titled "Space testing of electromagnetically sensitive materials for breakthrough propulsion physics." 

A 2002 blurb for an appearance on "The Space Show" read:

Mr. Holt has had a lifelong interest in astronomy, astrophysics, space travel (advanced physics and technology), and the destiny paths of humans and other civilizations. He recently retired from NASA after 50+ years of service, which included supporting the Apollo lunar missions, Skylab, Space Shuttle, Spacelab and the International Space Station. Mr. Holt has ben actively involved in research relating to encounters with unidentified aerial phenomena and in metaphysical studies for the past 49 years. He has a B.S. in Physics, Iowa State University (1967) and a M.S. In Physical Sciences (astrophysics), University of Houston/CLC (1979). He retired from NASA JSC."

As recently as 12 October 2023, a video titled "The Field Resonance Propulsion Concept, authored by Alan C. Holt from the Johnson Space Center," from 1979, was uploaded to Youtube 

I therefore conclude, that the mystery first Administrator of BAASS AAWSAP, was Alan C. Holt. I found no reason why his stay with BAASS was so short. If any reader knows why, I would appreciate hearing from them. 

European webinar on UAP

Summit

Following on from a recent (24 April 2025) one day UAP Symposium held by The Law Department of the United Kingdom's Durham University, another European UAP related event was held recently. An event billed as the "European UAP/NHI Disclosure Summit 2025: Breaking Stigma Building Strategy" was held on Sunday 15 June 2025. The event was hosted by the German based Ubiquity University.

According to their website, the summit "...addresses the emerging role of European advocates in the global initiative toward transparency and disclosure concerning Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) and Non-Human Intelligence (NHI). It explores the specific contribution Europe could and should make with the rapidly evolving international context."

Speakers

The speakers' list featured a diverse range of individuals from Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, and France. Professions included a journalist, a psychologist, an aerospace engineer, various academics and a number of laypeople. Many of the speakers, excluding the UAP researchers attending, are unknown to me, but it is gratifying to see that they are taking a serious interest in UAP studies. The scheduled speakers were:

Roberto Pinotti (Italian UAP researcher)

Francisco Correa (ICER Portugal)

Dr. Egbert Edelbroek (CEO Spaceborn, Netherlands)

Dr. Jim Garrison (Ubiquity University)

Dr. Felix Hoch (Ubiquity University)

Dr. Andrea Lani (Aerospace engineer, Belgium)

Massimo Tampieri (President, Luna Nova, Italy)

Sabrina Pieragostini ((Vice President Luna nova, Italy)

Gary Heseltine (UAP researcher UK)

Robert Fleischer (ExoMagazine Germany)

Francisco Guerreiro (European Parliament member, Portugal)

Dr. Annahita Nezami (Psychologist, University of London)

Franck Maurin (UAP researcher France)

Georg Boch (Ubiquity University).

A recording of the webinar may be watched here. 

More BAASS AAWSAP documents emerge

Introduction

Recently, there has been a surge of documents appearing on the Internet relating to UAP, which fall into the classification of "leaked," meaning that someone has access to them and has decided to release them to the general UAP research community without the permission of the originating source. In the following article I have chosen not to use any images from these documents or provide links to them on the Internet. Individuals can easily locate the documents for themselves. 

Documentation set 1

Welsh researcher Jonathan Davies, amongst others, received an email notice on 30 May 2025, from the Phenomainon website advising that a new function, namely PhenomGPT was available. Upon examining this function, Davies came across reference to a number of files including two related to the Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP.) He found that the AI interface could be tasked with retrieving copies of the two files and make them available for download. He downloaded them, and after a cursory glance, provided a link to the two documents via TransferNow. This is how they became available to the wider UAP research community. What were the documents?

1. A 530 page document with a coversheet title of "BAASS Ten Month Report," dated July 30, 2009. This extensive document provides details of various project and research areas; the BAASS organization and infrastructure; and a strategic plan for the project for the year 2010. I will more fully explore this document in another blog.

Comment:

Appendix 1 to the 2021 book "Skinwalkers at the Pentagon" by Lacatski et al, detailed a complete inventory of official BAASS AAWSAP documents lodged with the program sponsor, the  Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA.) One of which was titled "BAASS July 2009 Ten Month report" (530 pages.) 

2. A 141 page document with a coversheet title of "BAASS Summary Report on BAASS' UAP Analysis Capabilities," dated November 23, 2010. This covers, inter alia, BAASS' 12 technology study areas; BAASS personnel and equipment; The 2004 Tic Tac incident; examination of calculated velocities and accelerations of the Tic Tac; and analysis of spherical shaped UAP. 

Comment:

Appendix 1 to the 2021 book "Skinwalkers at the Pentagon" by Lacatski et al, detailed a complete inventory of official BAASS AAWSAP documents lodged with the DIA. One of which was titled "Summary Report on BAASS UAP Analysis Capabilities" 23 November 2010 (141 pages.)

The Phenomainon website also originally included access to a number of other documents, which later also appeared on limewire.com 

Documentation set 2

These were first published by a user of "x" named @Teg_OM on 5 June 2025 who found them on the limewire website. 

1. A 22 page document titled "Special Program Briefing (Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program - AATIP) Origination of the Program and reasons for Sponsor Interests," by H. E. Puthoff.

Comment:

A general briefing paper on the AAWSAP, here referred to by its "nickname" AATIP, by one of the BAASS AAWSAP consultants.

2. A 26 page document titled "MUFON Reports Prepared for BAASS," dated November 2008. Papers on lift, power generation,, control, human interface, and propulsion.

Prior to the creation of the DIRD's series, BAASS commissioned the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) to prepare position papers on various aspects of the 12 technology areas to be studied by AAWSAP. Several of these papers have previously appeared on the Internet. 

3. A 79 page report titled "BAASS Quality Review 2009" dated 30 October 2009, subject DIA review of Advanced Aerospace contract deliverables. Discusses the quality of DIRD's produced till then.

4. A 101 page BAASS coversheet report titled "Utah Ranch Database Analysis," dated June 21, 2010 Deliverable #11 of 12 Project Management Addendum Reports. This report explores various aspects of the incidents recorded in a CAPELLA database of events at the Skinwalker ranch up till June 2010.

Comment:

Appendix 1 to the 2021 book "Skinwalkers at the Pentagon" by Lacatski et al, detailed a complete inventory of official BAASS AAWSAP documents lodged with the DIA. One of which was titled "#11 BAASS Project Management Plan Addendum Report: Utah Ranch Database Analysis" 21 June 2010 (101 pages.)

5. A 29 page  BAASS coversheet document titled "Dominique Weinstein's Pilot Database analysis," dated June 21, 2010. A detailed examination of another CAPELLA database. 

Comment:

Appendix 1 to the 2021 book "Skinwalkers at the Pentagon" by Lacatski et al, detailed a complete inventory of official BAASS AAWSAP documents lodged with the DIA. One of which was titled "#9 Project Management Plan Addendum Report: Dominique Weinstein's Pilot Database Analysis" 21 June 2010, (29 pages.)

In summary

An anonymous person or persons, is uploading documents generated by the BAASS AAWSAP to the Internet. Why and under what motivation, remains to be determined. 

Two Journals are to publish special issues on UAP

Diversity

Once upon a time, the only people talking about the subject of UAP were those individuals engaged in "UFO research." In recent times this has broadened to include academics, politicians, defence personnel, members of the intelligence community, private corporations, and learned professional associations. This trend continues with two more items of interest. Special issues of two learned Journals are shortly to be published, on the topic of UAP.

Progress in Aerospace Sciences

The Journal "Progress in Aerospace Sciences" website advises that there are a number of papers on UAP, scheduled for publication in a special issue of this Journal. The expected date of publication of this special issue has yet to be advised. As to contents, so far, I am aware of:

"Estimates of radiative energy values in ground-level observations of an unidentified aerial phenomena," by Jacques, F. Vallee, Luc Dini and Geoffrey Mestchersky. The abstract reads:

"An exceptional observation of an anomalous object, recorded as ‘unidentified’ by the US Air Force and in the1969 final report of the University of Colorado (“Condon”) study of UAPs, has been re-examined by a Franco-American scientific team.

The observation took place on the evening of December 30, 1966, on an isolated highway traversing a forest near Haynesville, Louisiana. Early in 1967 the main witness, a professor of atomic physics named Louie A. Galloway, reported the case to Project Blue Book of the USAF. Pro-active investigation by one of the authors (JV) brought it to the attention of Professor Edward Condon, himself a noted atomist who had worked under Project Manhattan. Dr. Condon and his team had just begun an official re-examination of UFO (UAP) phenomena under funding of the US Air Force.

The case, which centered on a well-defined luminous object at ground level, led to energy estimates from 500 to 1400 MW, in the range of a small modern nuclear power plant. Significantly, it was one of a number of cases carried as ‘Unidentified’ in Dr. Condon's final report to the National Academy of Sciences in 1969.

Subsequent to that Academy report, significant work was continued at the site by civilian investigators who confirmed the data, augmented by night photography flights. The team returned to the area with the primary witness, located the exact place of observation and gathered new data, notably about the nature of burns evidenced on the trees, which had not been available to Dr. Condon and his assistants.

Samples of the burned and intact bark were obtained by our own team, and they were preserved until it became possible to properly analyze the material.

The burn analysis data presented here was obtained at the laboratories of the French Atomic Energy Commission in Saclay, France. We present our results with the understanding that the study will benefit from further discussion within the larger scientific community."

"Initial results from the first field expedition of UAPx to study unidentified anomalous phenomena," by Matthew Szydagis, Kevin H. Knuth, Benjamin Kuglelsky and Cecilia Levy. The abstract is as follows:

"In July 2021, faculty from the UAlbany Department of Physics participated in a week-long field expedition with the organization UAPx to collect data on UAPs in Avalon, California, located on Catalina Island, and nearby. This paper reviews both the hardware and software techniques which this collaboration employed, and contains a frank discussion of the successes and failures, with a section about how to apply lessons learned to future expeditions. Both observable-light and infrared cameras were deployed, as well as sensors for other (non-EM) emissions. A pixel-subtraction method was augmented with other similarly simple methods to provide initial identification of objects in the sky and/or the sea crossing the cameras’ fields of view. The first results will be presented based upon approximately one hour in total of triggered visible/night-vision-mode video and over 600 h of untriggered (far) IR video recorded, as well as 55 h of (background) radiation measurements. Following multiple explanatory resolutions of several ambiguities that were potentially anomalous at first, we focus on the primary remaining ambiguity captured at approximately 4am Pacific Time on Friday, July 16: a dark spot in the visible/near-IR camera possibly coincident with ionizing radiation that has so far resisted prosaic explanation. We conclude with quantitative suggestions (3–5$𝜎$ rules) for serious researchers in the still-maligned field of hard-science-based UAP studies, with an ultimate goal of identifying UAPs without confirmation bias toward mundane/speculative conclusions."

"Unidentified aerospace-undersea phenomena (UAP) status and outlook," by Max F. Platzer.

"On the need for rigorous scientific research on unidentified aerial phenomena," by Max F. Platzer.

Combatting Threats Exchange

The Journal "Combating Threats Exchange" is published by the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School's Global Education Community Collaboration Online Program. The expected publication date of the Journal's special issue on UAP, is sometime post September 2025. Interestingly, the website states that:

"The Combating Threats Exchange (CTX) is a biannual peer-reviewed online journal whose contributors are the men and women at the frontiers of counterterrorism. We publish firsthand accounts and analysis written by special operations personnel, as well as discussions of policy, trends, and operations, written by government officials, researchers, CT professionals, and investigative journalists on five continents."

So, one wonders, why such a Journal would be publishing a special issue on UAP? The answer lies in a recent call for papers for this special issue, which in the section labelled "Background."

"Our upcoming publication is dedicated to the efforts led by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to improve data collection, standardize reporting requirements, and mitigate the potential threats to safety and security posed by unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP).

The Department of Defense considers UAP as sources of anomalous detections in one or more domain (i.e. airborne, seaborne, spaceborne, and/or transmedium) that are not yet attributable to known actors and that demonstrate behaviors that are not readily understood by sensors or observers.

"Anomalous detections" include but are not limited to phenomena that demonstrate apparent capabilities or material that exceed known performance envelopes. A UAP may consist of one or more unidentified anomalous objects and may persist over an extended period of time.

This call for papers is your opportunity to contribute to the growing body of knowledge surrounding UAP, advance the science of UAP, and to engage in interdisciplinary discussions that explore their scientific and technological implications." 

Update: 3 June 2025

Details of a fifth paper in Progress in Aerospace Sciences has emerged. "The new science of Unidentified Aerospace-Undersea Phenomena (UAP)," by Knuth, Ailleris et al.  

Dr. Anna Brady-Estevez: Her interest in UAP

Who is Dr. Anna Brady-Estevez?

It is great to see new, and very qualified, individuals taking an interest in the topic of UAP. One of the latest is Dr. Anna Brady-Estevez. She was one of the presenters on the 1 May 2025 UAP Congressional roundtable and she said some very interesting things, listed below. 

* She served as a program director at the U.S. National Science Foundation. There she led the Small Business Innovation Research portfolio, focused on such things as space technology and energy

* She is the founding partner of American DeepTech, an investment firm in Deep technology. What is Deep Tech?  Deep Tech is a term used to refer to  advanced, innovative, or breakthrough technology e.g. robotics, nanotechnology, clean energy, or artificial intelligence

* She co-hosts the NASA ecosystemic futures podcast which includes material on UAP

* She has a PhD in Chemistry and Environmental Engineering from Yale University

* She has a BS in Chemical Engineering and Spanish from John Hopkins University.

Click here for a fuller resume, on LinkedIn.

(48) Anna Brady-Estevez | LinkedIn

National Science Foundation

The U.S. National Science Foundation organized a UAP workshop titled "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP): A Dialogue on Science, Public Engagement and Communication," which was held in Virginia, USA, between 15-17 May 2024.

The workshop was organized by the Global Network for Accelerating Synergies Through Research on Astronomy, Culture, Communication, Education and Learning Project (ASTRO ACCEL.) For a summary of the event click here. 

Shoshin Works Webinar

On 17 January 2025 Shoshin Works held a virtual conference titled "US Disruptive Deeptech, Energy and Space." Attendees were individuals from various universities, private companies and a variety of government agencies.

Anna Brady-Estevez gave opening regards, which included reference to "Exploring all areas: pursuing all solutions - Anomalous Phenomena. Presentations on UAP were given by Mike Gold, Charles Chase, Ryan Graves, Richard Bandoric, Hal Puthoff and Sarah Gamm.

Congressional roundtable discussion

On 1 May 2025 the U.S. Congress' The Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets held a roundtable of UAP experts, officials and members of Congress. There were three panels of guests, one of which was Anna Brady-Estevez. Among the things she discussed were:

* Access to microgravity is invaluable to such entities as pharmaceutical companies

* We work with partners in the UAP space - Hal Puthoff is one of our advisors - we work also with Ryan Graves, and Dyan Finkhousen

* In a former role with the U.S. government I worked with exceptional, innovation forward, UAP forward and open leaders. U.S. Space Disruptors Day

* Innovation - while at the NSF I funded people working on what entrepreneurs described as UAP adjacent or UAP inspired, technology

* Entrepreneurs are eager to engage with UAP science and technology

* "People are seeing ultra advanced craft that are higher performing and for people who are building the higher performing craft and the higher performing energy they are not trying to unsee what they have seen and what they have caught on a wide range of sensors..."

*  What is the right amount of money to be investing in these ultra high performing technologies? - Manhattan style - hundreds of billions of dollars

* Legacy programs - how do we get the information/technology out?

* Many of us have seen these, this wide range of phenomena, be they craft, be they orbs. The reason it matters, the first time you see this phenomena its a point of interest and you say, well I thought there was life off planet, or advanced technologies

* A number of us with roles in advanced biology or energy. People are seeing there is a path forward through the advanced UAP adjacent technology

* People around the world are seeing this phenomena and those who build things are saying why not build them together?

* We've brought scientists to areas where they turn up more frequently and there are a number of groups who are pulling in or attracting craft and other phenomena. Over the past year or two I've talked to innovators 30-50% share that they have seen UAP

* It is not credible or viable to pretend its not going on

* Expect more scientists to engage with the phenomena

* Even less talked about than the phenomena is "the source of the message." There are a number of teams calling in the phenomena. One of the groups went to visit with some scientists - the protocol used is through meditation, calling in craft.

UAP Disclosure Fund

On 7 May 2025, the UAPDF announced a number of personnel changes, one of which was that Anna Brady-Estevez was joining the UAPDF Advisory Board. 

Additional information

The SOL Foundation issued a White Paper, dated Winter 2025, titled "Investment in UAP Technology and Ventures: Opportunities, Challenges, and a Way Forward" by Rizwan Virk which explores in detail some of the things which Dr. Anna Brady-Estevez referred to in her 1 May 2025 Congressional talk. The paper's executive summary reads:

"This white paper is about the challenges and opportunities in establishing an innovation ecosystem related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). It provides both an analysis of why investment in UAP-related ventures has been difficult and a possible roadmap for expanding research and entrepreneurial activity around the scientific and technological advances that UAP could represent.

UAP, previously known as UFOs (unidentified flying objects), have been the subject of increasing media coverage over the past few years, frequently in mainstream news outlets such as CNN and Fox News. This increasing exposure is the result of efforts of military and intelligence whistleblowers, members of Congress, prominent academics, journalists, and organizations like NASA. Recent media attention has led government officials to tacitly and sometimes directly acknowledge the presence of unidentified craft in US airspace and territorial waters. (For more details on recent events, see the section “A Brief History of Recent UAP Developments.”)

Breakthroughs in UAP-related science and technology could revolutionize many of our existing industries, including aviation, space, defense, energy, medicine, communication, maritime operations, and materials engineering. Because of the wide potential of this technology, UAP represent an opportunity that could reshape the future of humankind as much as the development of the telephone, the automobile, the airplane, the rocket, or the personal computer. (For more on applications and industries, see the section “UAP Investment: Potential Opportunities.”)

While innovation was historically funded initially by government and wealthy patrons, this has evolved in modern innovation ecosystems, the most visible of which is in Silicon Valley. Many of the largest companies in the world by market capitalization have been funded this way. This ecosystem includes institutional investors such as venture capitalists, research institutions like Stanford University, and established companies that provide both talent and exits for new startups. However, a mature innovation ecosystem is not only about capital, but also about providing roadmaps to entrepreneurs and investors who wish to participate in the process of founding new companies. (For more on modern venture capital and startups, see the section “Background on Innovation Ecosystems.”)

This white paper explores whether private investment in new startups, in conjunction with government and large corporations, could play a significant role in expanding research into and launching ventures and products based on UAP-related technology. I argue that rather than establish one type of funding or just one organization, a new innovation ecosystem needs to be established with multiple types of funding, multiple players, and multiple avenues for entrepreneurs and investors to support UAP-related research and product development.

However, UAP also present unique investment challenges that other emerging industries may not have faced. Despite strong interest in this subject within both the federal government and the general public, many in our scientific institutions and existing innovation ecosystems like Silicon Valley remain skeptical about the topic in general. This is because of a stigma long associated with UFOs. Furthermore, UAP-related technology may require not only investment in engineering of new products and technology, but also breakthroughs in our under- standing of the physical world. This may require larger investments and more patient capital than typical venture capitalists—or even existing deep tech investors—have the appetite for. For this reason, I introduce the term frontier tech for technology ventures that simultaneously carry science, engineering, product, and market risks. Finally, the national security implications of UAP make this a sensitive area subject to over classification and geopolitical concerns. (For more on these challenges, see the section “The Unique Challenges and Opportunities of UAP.”)

To date, efforts to understand UAP-related technology and science has primarily been limited to two extremes: (1) the government relying on aerospace contractors in classified settings, or (2) isolated garage inventors and independent scientists with limited or nonexistent financial or institutional backing. To unleash the true power of entrepreneurship and market forces, this paper proposes unique investment models aimed not just at funding companies but at bringing the “best and brightest” minds to bear on the scientific, technical, and business challenges.

While the origin of UAP is an ongoing source of speculation, many UAP experts have determined that at least some of the reports cannot be attributed to prosaic sources such as balloons, seagulls, or hallucinations. In official congressional hearings, witnesses have stated under oath that some UAP appear to be actual technology, which may not be from human sources or adversaries such as China or Russia. (For more on government programs such as AARO, UAPTF, AAWSAP, AATIP, and congressional testimony, see the section “Brief History of Recent UAP Developments”). The observables—summaries of the unusual performance characteristics of some UAP (such as instant acceleration, antigravity, etc.) compiled by Department of Defense (DOD) and intelligence officials in these programs—seem to imply that they represent technologies leaps and bounds over our current technology. While this has led to more exotic theories for UAP (namely those that involve a nonhuman intelligence, or NHI, presence on Earth), this paper doesn’t attempt to choose from different theories of the origin of UAP. Rather, we take the position that if the reported observables are valid, even for some small fraction of UAP, then they represent significant technoscientific innovations. (For more on these two topics, see the section “Origin and Observables.”)

Such innovations, which are not part of the public discussion of mainstream scientists or aerospace engineers, could revolutionize several industries and usher in a new type of industrial revolution. However, this will require not just funding but an innovation ecosystem around UAP-related research and ventures. More specifically, this white paper explores the challenges and opportunities of building such an ecosystem by attempting to answer the following questions:

1. What are the general areas of potential private and public investment in research and development related to UAP technology?

2. What industries could be affected or revolutionized by these investments?

3. What makes investment in UAP research and new ventures difficult?

4. Who are the stakeholders that could influence and participate in such an ecosystem?

5. What structure could work best for encouraging both research and entrepreneurial activity?

6. What actions could be taken in the short term, medium term, and long term to build such an innovation ecosystem?

To answer these questions, this white paper proposes several interlocking segments of investment to build a well-rounded UAP innovation ecosystem. This structure seeks to provide opportunities for existing stakeholders, such as departments of the government and large aerospace companies, to participate. More importantly, we seek to build a UAP ecosystem that includes and encourages individual entrepreneurs, professional scientists, private and public research institutions, garage inventors, citizen scientists, and private investors.

The four proposed segments of investment (detailed further in the section “Structuring Investment and Building an Innovation Ecosystem for UAP”) are as follows:

1. Research Funding. Initially, this would be via a clearinghouse to connect UAP research funds from public and private sources to researchers. Then, long term, this would expand available research funding through the creation of one or more UAP research funds and/or UAP research institutes.

2. Innovation Prizes. A new UPRIZE, modeled after the innovation prizes of the early nine- teenth and twentieth centuries, combined with aspects of the more recent XPRIZEs such as the Google Lunar X Prize and the Ansari X Prize, would allow for expansion of investment in private ventures through a multiplier effect.

3. Frontier Tech Incubator. I refer to this model as a halfway house that provides both resources (science labs) and patient capital to encourage technoscientific innovation, positioned between pure research and normal industry commercialization funds.

4. Venture Capital and Private Equity. With the establishment of the previous three segments, this should allow existing venture capital and private equity funds to participate in UAP technology ventures without the stigma or risks that currently exist.

In more practical terms, the goal of these segments, beyond establishing a UAP innovation ecosystem, is to provide roadmaps for key stakeholders, such as investors and entrepreneurs, who may not have clear guidance on how to engage with the UAP topic.

While the challenges to innovating and commercializing UAP-related technology are significant (and may even seem insurmountable in the short term), by taking a longer-term view, we can discern that they may be no greater than the leaps achieved in modern times. For example, a human of 1860, offered a glimpse of today’s everyday technologies—such as self-driving automobiles, powered flight via jet engines, reusable rockets, genetic engineering, and computers—might also conclude that the challenges to achieve such a future are insurmountable.

For this reason, in this white paper, I take the position that the opportunity represented by in- vesting in UAP research and development is not a short-term prospect. By taking a long-term view, investment in this topic in the coming years and decades could not only revolutionize life on Earth but also represent humanity’s best hope of eventually becoming a multiplanetary species. This vision relies on going beyond existing methods of propulsion and lift, such as rocket engines."

Task Force on the Declassification of Federal secrets - UAP

The Task Force

On 11 February 2025, The Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets was stood up, within the U.S. Congress' House Committe on Oversight and Government Reform. Its focus was on a number of areas, including the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, plus UAPs. The Chairwoman is Representative Luna. Members are Robert Garcia, Nancy Mace, Tim Burchett, Lauren Boebert, Eric Burlison, Eli Crane, Brandon Gill, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Summer Lee, Dave Min and Jasmine Crockett. Several of these individuals have been vocal on the topic of UAP. 

Representative Luna

UAP discussion Timeline

In a tweet dated 19 April 2025, U.S. Congressional House of Representatives representative Anna Paulina Luna posted a tentative timeline for continuing the discussion on UAP. Dates and actions shown were:

1. 29 April. "SCIF brief with UAP experts."

2. 30 April/1 May. "Roundtable with experts; officials and members of Congress."

3. Week beginning 12 May. "Full Committee hearing on UAPs."

UAP Disclosure Fund

On item 2 above, U.K. journalist Christopher Sharp in an article dated 18 April 2025 wrote that:

"Liberation Times can confirm that the roundtable will be hosted by the UAP Disclosure Fund, an organisation advocating for transparency on UAP."

The Fund's Board of Directors includes Luis Elizondo, Christopher K. Mellon and Garry Nolan, while its Advisory Board includes Tim Gallaudet and Kirk McConnell.

Further details of the 1 May event are to be found on the Fund's own website. Titled "Understanding UAP: Science, National Security & Innovation" The brief:

"In an era of accelerating aerospace and AI innovations, understanding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) is no longer fringe - it is foundational. Join members of Congress, staff, and the media for a high-level, science first discussion moderated by Luis Elizondo (former head of the Pentagon's UAP program) featuring prominent voices in science, defense, and technology. 

This nonpartisan briefing, hosted by UAPDF and sponsored by the bipartisan Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, will provide members with valuable insights into the scientific significance, nationals security relevance, and innovation potential of UAP-related data. A limited number of seats will be available to members of the public and the event will be live streamed and/or recorded."

The video recording of the briefing may be viewed here.  

Update: 1 May 2025

The 29 April 2025 SCIF session was deferred to a later date. 

Recent Japanese government interest in UAP

Japanese government interest in UAP

In an article dated 1 June 2024, I reported on the formation of a nonpartisan group, concerning UAP, within the Japanese government. The group is formally known as "The Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Clarification League for Security-Oriented National Security." On 28 March 2025, this group held their second general meeting. Thanks to a tweet on "X" by French researcher Baptiste Friscourt, I accessed a video of the proceedings of this session. 

Presentations

Included in the session were online video presentations by Christopher Mellon, Tim Gallaudet, Peter Skafish, and Representative Burlison. Below are my notes from the video presentations.

Chris Mellon

Chris Mellon (13mins 40 secs to 27m 50 secs)

* Since last year's presentation to the group, the most notable events in the US are the presence of mysterious lights over US military bases

* Many cases were explained as drones, however the situation is more complex and concerning

* If they were drones why didn't signal jammers work? Why did none crash? Why long-range flights? 

* There were drones, and there were things that we don't understand

* Is it possible that some of these craft were NHI? Yes

* Estimates of the odds that we are alone in the universe are 1 chance in 10 billion million

* Historically there are hundreds of thousands of UFO reports including those involving multiple witnesses and radar sensors

* The current Director of AARO has said that some of the cases are unexplained

* The intelligence controlling these craft may not be biological

* Case - A nocturnal observation of unknown objects which made over 70 aggressive, high speed, non firing runs a few hundred feet from a US spy craft. Over one hour. Aircraft sensors detected moving airborne radar beams from the UFOs that were not from stationary ground radar. The event happened on 14 April 1953 in the Sea of Japan

* This activity continues in many areas of the world.

Tim Gallaudet

(29:00 to 34:35)

* NHI is real. Know this from firsthand observations of US military sensor data and speaking to defense staff, scientists and those who have access to the UAP legacy program

* I have focused my research on the maritime aspects of UAP including trans-medium objects

* UAP present national security issues, air safety issues and safe ocean passage issues

* We need greater transparency from the US government

* I have called on the US Congress to establish oversight of US government information and materials on UAP

* Also we need international collaboration. 

Peter Skafish

(35:44-37:15)

* I am an Anthropologist and co-founder of the SOL Foundation

* I approach you as an academic and nongovernment actor

* I wish to persuade you that UAP is an occasion for international cooperation in government and civil society

* Japan can make a unique and vital contribution, to humanity's response to the UAP presence.

Q and A

Then followed a question-and-answer session. Examples of the sort of questions asked were:

* What is being done in the US to study the phenomena?

Answer by Chris Mellon- AARO the official US government UAP agency is undertaking a lot of research including obtaining and analyzing FAA data on UAP; inventing and deploying sensors, and the US military recognizes the drone situation is important

* Will the AARO budget be cut given the situation with the Trump administration?

Answer by Chris Mellon - in talking to AARO I see no suggestion of a cut. The US Administration has been very supportive.

Later in the session Representative Eric Burlison joined in, saying that the UAP topic was bigger than any one country. Also, that he had invited David Grusch to join his staff to assist with a targeted investigation into UAP over the next four months.

In summary, it is great to see another country taking a keen interest in the topic of UAP at a parliamentary level.

Update: 26 May 2025

A 16 May 2025 article on the "Defense Blog" by Daisuke Sato, advised that "Japanese lawmakers have called on the Ministry of Defense to establish a dedicated department to investigate unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), including UFOs and unidentified drones."

Who is talking about UAP these days?

Diversity

Once upon a time, the only people talking about the subject of UAP were those individuals engaged in "UFO research." In recent times this has broadened to include academics, politicians, defence personnel, members of the intelligence community, private corporations, and learned professional associations. This trend continues with two more items of interest.

National Defense Industry Association

According to their website, the U.S. National Defense Industry Association, which has 1,720 corporate and 67,000 individual members:

"...drives strategic dialogue in national security by identifying key issues and leveraging the knowledge and experience of its military, government, industry, and academic members to overmatch capabilities to threats."

 It was therefore of interest to note that one of the NDIA's Emerging Technology Institute's monthly webinar series, to be held 27 March 2025 is titled "Tech 101: Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon." 

The description given for the one-hour session is:

"Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) research involves distinguishing between hoaxes, misidentifications, and truly anomalous sightings. While most UAP reports can be attributed to conventional explanations - such as natural atmospheric or man-made objects - some cases remain unresolved, requiring better data for a deeper investigation.

This webinar will explore the challenges of UAP identification, providing an overview of analytical methodologies used to assess sightings. The presentation will include examples of confirmed misidentifications, cases with prosaic explanations, and more complex UAP reports that defy easy resolution. 

In addition, the session will highlight emerging technologies and legislative efforts that could help the public distinguish between prosaic objects and the truly anomalous ones, enabling researchers to focus on the most compelling cases. These advancements could also play a role in addressing the increasing threat by adversarial drone, offering dual-use applications for national security and aerospace monitoring.

By examining both the scientific and technological frontiers of UAP research, this webinar will provide insight into the evolving landscape of aerial phenomenon investigations and the tools shaping its future."

Dr. Douglas Buettner

The speaker is Dr. Douglas Buettner, Deputy Chief Scientist, Acquisition Innovation Research Center, Stevens University. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in physics and a PhD in aeronautical engineering with over 30 years of industry experience.  On the UAP side, he is a member of the board of directors for the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies, and co-founder and chief technologist for SIGHTER.io, a recent iphone app for gathering data about UAP sightings. For a more detailed bio please click here. 

2025 Paris Defence and Strategy Forum

According to its website, the Paris Defence and Strategy Forum is a major international conference "...devoted to defence and security issues."

An inspection of the Forum's programme reveals that on 13 March 2025, there was a ninety-minute session titled "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena." 

In a 14 March 2025 post on "X" French researcher Baptiste Friscourt advised that:

"It was my honor to represent The Debrief and Sentinel News at the 2025 Paris Defense and Strategy Forum, in a UAP Defense issues panel organized by Francois Mattens, in the halls of the Defense Academy of the Military School, in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Apologies for those that couldn't attend, the conference room was full...Recording and article in The Debrief available soon."