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.
