Funding has been cut for NASA's BPPP!

nirgal · 2003-02-20 14:50:08

From the Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project's website:

In the Summer of 2002, both the Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project and the Revolutionary Propulsion Research Project, that were part of ASTP's "Revolutionary Research Investment Area," were removed from the ASTP. There is presently no funding available to continue the BPP Project.

It seems the decision was made sometime in january 2003. MSFC's efforts to reproduce Podkletnov's results (gravity-shielding) were funded through BPPP. Now that the funding has been cut we won't see any verfification or falsification for a long time and are left wondering if he was really on to something or not.
However, I read Podkletnov is continuing his research and perhaps Boeing and Lockheed have already begun their own research programs. There was a report in JDW last year hinting at such a possibility.
If I were a die hard conspiracy theorist I'd say the military has pressured NASA to abandon their reserach in this area since they don't want to see this out in the open yet. After all the team at MSFC came very close to actually testing the device they had built...

nirgal · 2003-02-20 15:00:07

"Progress on ?Gravity Shielding? hardware: By invitation of the MSFC manager of this task, Marc Millis and Paul Raitano of GRC visited the Columbus, Ohio firm, Superconductor Components, Inc. (SCI) on September 4, 2002, to view SCI?s progress toward replicating the hardware of the heavily-publicized Podkletnov?s ?Gravity Shielding? claims. This work is sponsored by a Phase-II SBIR through MSFC. The specially configured large (12-inch) superconductor disks have now been successfully manufactured, and much of the supporting test hardware has been built. During the Sept 4 tests, the disk successfully levitated and could be mechanically rotated at slow speeds. What still remains, is to replicate the means to rotate the disk at high RPM (10,000) and to pump in Radio Frequency (RF) energy into the disk. A major unresolved issue is that there is no further support to complete the hardware and conduct the tests to finally verify or dismiss the anomalous force claims of Podkletnov. MSFC is pursuing other funding options and also asked if GRC would be able to receive the hardware and complete the tests. One further note, during a August 15 briefing by Millis to the NASA Chief Scientist, Dr. Shannon Lucid, Dr. Lucid stated that it would be disappointing if these provocative claims were never reliably resolved, and wished to be informed of the results."

Flat Tharsis · 2003-02-20 23:45:50

I'm not a consipracy theorist and I would guess that's what happened. I read last year in Aviation week that both Boeing and Lockheed Martin were working 'propelantless propulsion' so I would guess that if the USAF were developing a system out of 'gravity sheilding' that they wouldn't want a civillian agency poking at it in full veiw.

Shaun Barrett · 2003-02-25 01:42:27

This cut in funding for Ron Koczor and Co. at MSFC is perfect material for the conspiracy theorists all right!

The UFO enthusiasts who hang out at the perimeter of places like Area 51 have asserted for years that triangular black Air Force craft which defy gravity actually exist.
It would appear consistent with that sort of rumour if projects like the Podkletnov device were quietly relieved of funding, I suppose.
If the Pentagon had "Above Top Secret" prototypes of propellantless aircraft under wraps, with a view to producing a squadron of unassailably advanced warplanes, Flat Tharsis is right in saying they wouldn't want NASA making announcements about the technology! And I seem to remember reading that part of its charter stipulates NASA is subject to military oversight and censorship.

WOWWW!! It all fits!!!

(And just when you thought it was safe to take off your metal helmets, too! )

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#1 2003-02-20 14:50:08

Re: Funding has been cut for NASA's BPPP!

#2 2003-02-20 15:00:07

Re: Funding has been cut for NASA's BPPP!

#3 2003-02-20 23:45:50

Re: Funding has been cut for NASA's BPPP!

#4 2003-02-25 01:42:27

Re: Funding has been cut for NASA's BPPP!

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