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."