BAE SYSTEMS
(The company formed from the merger of British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic
Systems) is currently running a speculative research programme in the realm of
gravitational physics with the aim of initiating some new areas of research and
priming technology development, with the hope that subsequent implementation,
could lead to significant advances in the aerospace industry. For historical
reasons we have called this programme project Greenglow.
We see
Project Greenglow as the beginning of an adventure which other enthusiastic
scientists from academia, government and industry might like to join,
particularly those who believe that the gravitational field is not restricted to
passivity and who have new theories, to the contrary, which they would like to
propose. The network provided by Project Greenglow could provide the arena for
publicising, debating and pursuing these ideas. We feel that emphasis should be
given to those theories which can be tested in a laboratory at moderate cost and
which, if successful, could be developed into technical applications for the
aerospace industry.
Our approach
to the research programme will be much along the lines of the newly established
NASA Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Programme which has, as its central theme,
the goal of developing propellantless propulsion. We hope that there will be
elements where our two programmes come together and we will support interaction
between the two. Following the lead set by NASA, it is intended that most of the
administrative effort and day-to-day communications will be conducted via the
Internet. Also, the aim will be to keep the research programme as open as
possible, within the restrictions imposed by academic ownership and commercial
return on investment, as we recognise that there is a great deal of interest
throughout the world on gravitational research, particularly on the
possibility of the control of gravitational fields. We may wish to harness this
support in our quest for funding.
Due to the
major interest in propellantless propulsion, Project Greenglow will contain a
part where Future Concept Engineers can speculate on the impact which advances
in gravitational technology might have on the design and sphere of operation of
aerospace vehicles of the future. Artistic interpretations of these ideas
should further stir the imagination of the scientists and engineers who
participate in the project.
To determine
the level of professional interest in this venture, we are planning to hold a
Discussion Meeting,where some of us can get together and describe our
present vision of Project Greenglow and talk about the way forward. Details of
the Time and Venue will be posted on the Netlater. At this Meeting we
would hope to form a small Steering Group, whose main tasks will be maintaining
programme cohesiveness and awareness, the arranging of a series of topical
seminars and the planning of a larger event (akin to the NASA BPP Workshop) next
year for the presentation of ideas and results and agreeing the next stage in
the collaborative programme.