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NASA to Provide Crew Flight Test Status Update
Aug 13, 2024
NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, Aug. 14, to provide an update on the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test.
Mission managers continue to evaluate the Starliner spacecraft’s readiness in advance of decisional meetings no earlier than next week regarding the return of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
Participants include:
Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate
Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate
Russ DeLoach, chief, NASA’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance
NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba
Emily Nelson, chief flight director, NASA’s Flight Operations Directorate
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-provide-crew-flight-test-status-update/
bp and Nasa sign agreement to boost energy and space tech
August 14, 2024
BP America has entered a Space Act Agreement with Nasa to enhance technological advancements in both energy production and space exploration.
Under the collaboration, bp and Nasa will leverage digital technologies and decades of technical expertise from operating in extreme environments.
The Space Act Agreement, under the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, allows the two entities to share digital models, simulations and technical know-how.
This collaboration aims to improve the visualisation of equipment in challenging locations, whether deep underwater or distant planets.
BP anticipates that this agreement will advance both energy production on Earth and human space exploration of the Moon and Mars.
The initial phase of the agreement will focus on developing standards and enhancing the capabilities of visualisation and simulation models.
As the partnership progresses, the exchange of knowledge in remote operating practices, including safety and communications, will be explored.
This could extend to process control, integrity management, and the incorporation of predictive analytics and AI.
Future collaborations between bp and Nasa may delve into hydrogen, regenerative fuel cells, high-capacity batteries, solar power systems, small fission systems, and advanced power management and distribution.
This agreement builds on a historical relationship, with bp offshore workers training at Nasa’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and Nasa’s use of bp’s Castrol lubricants for more than six decades.
BP principal technical programme manager Ken Nguyen said: “bp has built a proud legacy of technological innovation as we deliver the energy the world needs today while investing in the energy system of tomorrow.
“As Nasa pursues a sustained presence on the Moon and Mars, we see a unique opportunity for bp and Nasa to work collaboratively on the forefront of digital technology that will cultivate further innovation in energy and space.”
Earlier this month, bp reached an agreement with the Government of Iraq to negotiate a redevelopment programme for the historic Kirkuk oilfield.
https://www.offshore-technology.com/news/bp-and-nasa-sign-agreement/?cf-view
Watch a Perseid fireball light up the skies above Macedonia
August 13, 2024
In the early hours of Tuesday morning (Aug. 13), at around 1:03 a.m. local time, a dazzling Perseid fireball streaked across Macedonian skies above Lake Ohrid.
A webcam system installed throughout the Lake Ohrid region captured the dramatic sight.
"The video with the meteor is incredible. We see in the video 7 seconds of a falling meteor. I love technology today," photographer Stojan Stojanovski, who created the webcam system, told Space.com in an email.
The Perseid meteor shower, also known as the Perseids, is visible annually from mid-July until late August.
This year, the shower peaked around the night of Aug. 11 and before dawn on Aug. 12.
The few nights surrounding the peak are also good for catching a glimpse of these iconic meteors.
The shower is caused by Earth passing through debris — bits of ice and rock — left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle which last passed by Earth in 1992.
When the debris hits Earth's atmosphere, it burns up and creates the dramatic "shooting stars" we know as the Perseids.
Most of the Perseids are tiny, about the size of a sand grain. Almost none of the fragments hit the ground, but if one does, it's called a meteorite.
The difference between a meteor and a fireball like the one seen in the video lies with brightness.
Simply put, meteors brighter than Venus are classified as fireballs.
Stojanovski began setting up the webcam network in 2018 with help from local businesses to promote tourism in the Lake Ohrid region, as part of Ohrid Info.
Stojanovski hopes that the installment of 180-degree cameras will give him and the local Ohrid Astronomy Association an even better view of the night sky.
"The 180-degree point-of-view cameras in the future will catch more meteors I hope," Stojanovski said.
Stojanovski also captured a stunning photograph of a Perseid meteor above Lake Ohrid on Aug. 11, 2024.
The glow from wildfires is visible in the distance.
"There are some wildfires and it's hard to find good spots in the mountains", Stojanovski told Space.com.
https://www.space.com/perseid-meteor-shower-fireball-macedonia-video
New ISS images showcase auroras, moon and space station in glorious photos
August 13, 2024
The moon's glow meets a multicolored aurora in a new astronaut image from space.
International Space Station (ISS) and NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, a veteran photographer of the Expedition 71 crew, captured the moon and auroras from his perch 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth.
"The aurora have been amazing the past few days.
Great timing for trying out a new lens that recently arrived on Cygnus," Dominick said on X, formerly Twitter, in one of the posts. (Cygnus is a cargo spacecraft from Northrop Grumman that arrived Aug. 6).
Dominick and the Expedition 71 crew witnessed powerful auroras in recent days, which happen when the sun's charged particles interact with gas molecules in Earth's atmosphere.
The gas molecules emit light when they become excited to higher energy levels than the norm, with different molecules spurring different colors of light. (Green, for example, results from oxygen.)
Both green and red hues are visible in Dominick's recent images and video.
"The moon makes it way towards the horizon to set amongst red and green aurora," Dominick wrote in another X post.
"Felt so lucky to grab this shot."
The red-and-green auroras, tinged with moonlight, are Dominick's latest photos as part of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission.
His visit happens to coincide with a peak in auroral activity, allowing him to capture images of auroral shows backdropped by spacecraft like Boeing's Starliner, SpaceX Crew Dragon or Russia's Soyuz.
Dominick said recently that he has obtained as many as 200,000 photos aboard the ISS, during the mission meant to last half a year.
Many of these photos were taken in his spare time, although, like all astronauts, he also does photography for Earth observation and ISS maintenance purposes.
https://www.space.com/iss-aurora-moon-imagery-nasa-astronaut
Fire at Russian Savasleyka airbase detected by NASA
14.08.2024 13:56
A NASA satellite recorded a fire near the Savasleyka airfield in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia after a drone strike.
‘Satellites of the system for detecting fires on the surface of the earth recorded a fire in the area of the Savasleyka military airfield, which was attacked by drones last night.
The fact of the explosion on the territory of the airbase is also confirmed by the geolocation of one of the eyewitnesses‘ videos,’ the post says.
As reported by Ukrinform, explosions were heard in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia, where the Savasleyka military airfield is located, this morning, and local authorities said that air defence was operating.
According to eyewitnesses, there were ten hits.
Savasleyka is home to, among other things, MiG-31 aircraft, Kinzhal missile carriers, and a branch of the 4th State Centre for Aviation Personnel Training and Military Testing of the Russian Defence Ministry.
In addition, local publics also write about explosions at the Russian military airfields of Borisoglebsk and Baltimore.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3895099-fire-at-russian-savasleyka-airbase-detected-by-nasa-satellites.html
https://spacenews.com/senate-bill-would-create-center-to-study-satellite-interference-with-astronomy/
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4952
Senate bill would create center to study satellite interference with astronomy
August 14, 2024
Legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate would create a new center devoted to protecting astronomy from interference caused by satellite constellations even as existing efforts involving organizations and companies make progress.
The Dark and Quiet Skies Act of 2024, introduced Aug. 1 by Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create a “center of excellence” devoted to mitigating light and radio-frequency interference by satellites on astronomical observations.
“Light and radio pollution from satellites are keeping space’s mysteries beyond our reach,” Hickenlooper said in an Aug. 5 statement about the bill.
“Preserving the darkness of the night sky will amplify our research.”
The center, overseen by NIST but run by an outside entity such as a nonprofit organization or university, would work with both astronomers and satellite operators to develop best practices to mitigate interference caused by satellites in optical and infrared wavelengths from reflected sunlight and radio wavelengths from the satellites’ transmissions.
The center would also conduct “transdisciplinary research, development, and demonstration projects” on ways to reduce satellite interference.
The center would work with industry to disseminate voluntary guidelines but would not have any regulatory authority.
The bill authorizes $20 million for the center for fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
If the bill is enacted, the center would join other initiatives established in the last five years to address concerns about interference large satellite constellations pose for astronomy.
Astronomers sounded the alarm about that threat after the launch of the first SpaceX Starlink satellites in May 2019, which were visible to the naked eye in a “string of pearls” display in the days after launch.
SpaceX has since launched more than 6,800 Starlink satellites, with thousands more planned by that company and other constellation developers.
One such effort is the International Astronomical Union’s Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference, or IAU CPS.
That center is involved in several projects that include development of software tools for astronomers as well as public outreach and policy development.
The IAU announced Aug. 8 that CPS received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation to support that work.
The money will fund work on software to allow astronomers to predict what satellites will pass through the field of view of their observations, enabling them to work around the worst of the interference.
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“This NSF funding will improve observatories’ ability to reduce the frequency of satellite passes affecting observations, therefore improving science outcomes,” said Connie Walker, co-director of the IAU CPS, in a statement about the grant.
The project will be particularly useful for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, which is preparing to start a decade-long survey of the night sky that will discover objects ranging from near Earth asteroids to distant galaxies.
Interference from satellites, particularly those bright enough to dazzle Rubin’s sensitive camera, have concerned astronomers.
“Rubin Observatory is about to begin a groundbreaking decade-long survey of the night sky, and it will see loads of streaks, glints and flares from artificial satellites,” said Meredith Rawls, an astronomer at the University of Washington who is the co-lead of the CPS “SatHub” project that will develop the software.
“This funding will enable us to better understand and mitigate the resulting science impacts in Rubin data products.”
There is also cooperation directly between astronomers and satellite operators.
SpaceX announced Aug. 9 that it worked with the NSF and National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) on a technique the company will implement with its Starlink satellites to avoid interference with NRAO’s radio observatories.
That technique, called telescope boresight avoidance, involves a “real-time data sharing framework” between Starlink and radio observatories so that SpaceX knows the pointing direction, or boresight, of the radio telescopes.
The Starlink satellites then adjust their beam patterns as they pass overhead to avoid directing signals into the telescope.
“This boresight avoidance method protects the telescope’s observations while ensuring Starlink service remains uninterrupted for customers near the telescope,” SpaceX said.
The system is active now for the NRAO’s Very Large Array radio observatory in New Mexico and the company said it is working with other radio telescopes to implement it.
“The innovative methods developed jointly by NSF NRAO and SpaceX provide a clear path that others can follow to increase rural access to high-speed internet while protecting the scientific and economic benefits produced by nearby radio astronomy facilities,” said Ashley VanderLey, senior advisor for facilities in the NSF Astronomical Sciences Division, in an NSF statement about the effort.
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ISRO Gaganyaan: Just the beginning
Aug 14, 2024
National Space Day - 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43hjjGeWs7U
Watch Mars and Jupiter Appear to Almost Touch in a Rare Conjunction
August 13, 2024
Two of Earth’s neighbors will appear awfully close in the sky on August 14, as the orbits of Mars and Jupiter make them seem to almost touch.
A conjunction is an astronomical term for when two or more bodies in space closely approach each other, relative to the view from Earth.
While the objects appear close to each other, in actuality they can still be millions—or trillions—of miles from each other. In the case of the Mars and Jupiter conjunction, the two planets will, at their nearest, be more than 300 million miles (500 million kilometers) apart.
After the conjunction, Mars will begin inching higher in the sky from our perspective on Earth, while Jupiter will also move up, but at a faster rate, eventually pulling away towards the evening sky, according to EarthSky.
The pair will commence with their celestial rendezvous at roughly 10:30 p.m. on August 13, although the best viewing from the eastern coast will be in the hours before sunrise during the following day.
The two planets, as always, will be visible to the unaided eye.
Jupiter will be the brighter of the pair, and can be contrasted to Mars’ signature red hue.
With a decent pair of binoculars, Jupiter’s moons may be visible, and for telescope owners, the two planets will be visible in the same view.
To get a glimpse of the conjunction, look towards the eastern sky.
The planetary alignment will appear in front of the Taurus constellation close to Aldebaran.
Skywatching apps, such as Sky Guide and StarMap 3D+, can also help you locate the pair in the night sky.
Conjunctions involving Mars and Jupiter aren’t that rare, taking place around once every 26 to 27 months.
The pair last passed each other in 2022.
This year’s conjunction, however, is notable for just how close the planets will appear to each other.
Mars and Jupiter won’t appear in such close proximity again until December 1, 2033, according to Space.com.
“Planetary conjunctions traditionally have been more the stuff of astrology than serious astronomy, but they never fail to impress during observations, particularly when the gas giants are involved,” said Mitzi Adams, an astronomer and researcher at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in a post on the space agency’s website about the 2022 conjunction.
If you’re not able to see the conjunction for yourself, fear not. The Virtual Telescope Project is livestreaming the event.
https://gizmodo.com/watch-mars-and-jupiter-appear-to-almost-touch-in-a-rare-conjunction-2000486583
https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/
Space Forces in Europe - Space Forces Africa holds change of command ceremony
Aug. 14, 2024
U.S. Space Force Brig. Gen. Jacob Middleton became the new commander of U.S. Space Forces in Europe – Space Forces Africa in a change of command ceremony at the Ramstein Officers Club Tuesday.
U.S. Space Forces in Europe – Space Forces Africa, also known as SPACEFOREUR-AF, is the U.S. Space Force component field command charged with supporting both U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, encompassing 51 countries in Europe and 53 countries in Africa, respectively.
“We recognize the importance of space to our allies and partners, as well as our own national security,” Middleton said.
“In the last year, SPACEFOREUR-AF has established relationships across two continents to expand space situational awareness of events in today’s contested space environment.
I look forward to engaging with our Space Force leaders and combatant commanders, to working alongside our Airmen and Guardians, and to building on those partnerships to tell the next chapter of the United States Space Force story.”
Middleton said that a U.S. Space Force goal is for field components such as SPACEFOREUR-AF to build on existing alliances and partnerships to enhance interoperability and resiliency, thereby bolstering the security and long-term sustainability of space. The scope of missions across two continents and their importance to the international order and the balance of rules governing use of space is the cornerstone of the SPACEFOREUR-AF mission.
U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman expanded on that theme during the ceremony.
“This unit is singularly responsible for integrating space forces with two combatant commands, enhancing the security of our nation and its allies from Iceland to South Africa,” Saltzman said at the ceremony.
“In just eight months, SPACEFOREUR-AF established relationships with 15 other spacefaring nations, enhanced integration with NATO, via automated data flow, and provided training on Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations.”
Saltzman noted Middleton was the right choice to head the rapidly evolving SPACEFOREUR-AF and expand relationships with our allies and partners.
He added that Middleton’s experience working with the Joint Staff, National Security Council, and U.S. legislature all empower Middleton to further bolster expanded connections with NATO, allies and other vital regional partners across two continents to integrate space power.
“I can confidently say that there are few more impactful positions in leadership within the Space Force than that of a service component commander, especially one supporting two regions,” Saltzman said.
“Elevating the command to a one-star level reaffirms the Space Force’s commitment both to our Joint Force and to our international partners.
Service components like SPACEFOREUR-AF provide the vital connective tissue between space capability and the combatant commander authorities.
I look forward to what Brig. Gen. Middleton will achieve next.”
Activated at Ramstein Air Base Dec. 8, 2023, SPACEFOREUR-AF is responsible for a wide range of space operations including the space situational awareness mission and security cooperation in support of the two combatant commands’ objectives.
Middleton follows Col. Max E. Lantz II, the first and previous SPACEFOREUR-AF commander.
Lantz is scheduled to retire after more than 33 years of active-duty service.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3872182/space-forces-in-europe-space-forces-africa-holds-change-of-command-ceremony/
Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force visits Vandenberg SFB
Aug. 14, 2024
Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna met with Guardians and Airmen during his first visit as the CMSSF to Vandenberg Space Force Base, July 31-Aug. 1.
Bentivegna began his visit with a tour of the child development center, youth center, Hawk’s Cove and the 30th Medical Group.
During these visits, he interacted with families and staff, gaining insights into the programs and services each facility offers to the base.
Additionally, he visited the 533rd Training Squadron.
“The work being done by our Guardians and Airmen here at Vandenberg (SFB) is of critical importance to our nation's interests,” he emphasized.
“It's wonderful to witness the growth of the mission, observe how our Guardians, Airmen, and their families are integrating with the surrounding communities, and see how Team Vandenberg is effectively collaborating with our industry partners to ensure the mission's success.”
During his visit, Bentivegna hosted a town hall meeting, where he addressed questions from the Vandenberg SFB community regarding the future of the Space Force, strategies for maintaining and enhancing warfighting capabilities, ensuring that the Space Force remains robust and effective.
“Team Vandenberg is an exceptional team and setting the standard for Assured Space Access,” he said.
“The work you do here is critical, it is significant, and I eagerly anticipate the remarkable achievements you will accomplish in the future.”
Bentivegna’s visit underscored a commitment to understanding and improving the various facets of life and operations at Vandenberg SFB, from community support to medical care and training.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3872312/chief-master-sergeant-of-the-space-force-visits-vandenberg-sfb/
SSC senior enlisted leaders discuss leadership roles at first-ever summit
Aug. 14, 2024
More than 30 senior enlisted leaders from Space Systems Command gathered for the inaugural SSC SEL Summit, held at Los Angeles Air Force Base, July 16-18.
This first-ever summit, hosted by Chief Master Sgt. Jacqueline Sauvé, SSC’s SEL, brought together SELs from across the command’s geographically separated units from Patrick Space Force Base, Peterson SFB, Vandenberg SFB, and Kirtland Air Force Base, in addition to those local to Los Angeles AFB.
Built as a forum for leaders to share best practices, discuss current and emerging issues, and develop strategies to improve the effectiveness of the SSC enterprise, the summit offered opportunities for SELs to strengthen the support they provide across the command.
“The extensive experience of our SELs plays a crucial role in developing and inspiring the next generation of Space Force and Air Force professionals – building a stronger warfighting force,” Sauvé emphasized.
“Our SELs form the backbone of SSC, challenging assumptions and effectively navigating bureaucracy.
As our Chief explained during a recent briefing to Congress about ensuring operational readiness, SELs focus on helping to change the lives of our members.
We support their bold initiatives, advocate for quality-of-life improvements, and generate connectedness within their respective organizations.
The summit began with a question-and-answer session with the command’s top leadership: Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, SSC commander; Joy White, SSC executive director; and Col. Michelle Idle, SSC deputy commander.
Garrant and White highlighted that the Space Force is focused on current capabilities and optimizing what is available today.
Their discussion also emphasized the goal of providing acquirers with operational experience and exposure, to drive unity of effort across the service.
White shared the ongoing need for a unique Space Force and SSC culture and charged each senior enlisted leader “to keep the advice coming!
And if you see a blind spot, let us know” to facilitate continuing improvements for the workforce.
The week included variety of guest speakers and informational sessions covering a wide range of topics including: Space Force 101, Space Systems Operations, Force Generation, and financial management.
These sessions provided SELs with a better understanding of the SSC enterprise and the role that each unit plays in achieving mission success.
Dr. Jason ‘JW’ Womack, U.S. Space Force Enterprise Talent Management Office development branch chief, provided a key session focused around Collective Sensemaking.
Exercises during this event challenged attendees to consider all the roles they play throughout the day — Guardian, Airman, supervisor, parent, spouse — and apply those lenses to better understand the need for diverse perspectives that can help improve how people overcome challenges.
SSC SEL Summit attendees also welcomed retired Chief Master Sgt Ericka Kelly, 17th Chief Master Sgt. of the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command.
After sharing her personal story of how she joined the Air Force, Kelly encouraged leaders to share their stories with their personnel to build trust, demonstrate empathy and to become more resilient leaders.
To further demonstrate the extensive mission and reach of the command, summit participants visited Space X headquarters as well as SSC’s Space C2 and Space Den offices.
These tours highlighted how SSC is working to pursue domestic and international partnerships to maintain competitive advantage in space and deter conflict.
The summit concluded with opportunities to engage with SSC’s senior leaders — the chance to ask questions, provide feedback and discuss issues that impact our workforce.
“We’re so grateful for the talented SELs we have in our command,” Sauvé said.
“Investing in their development is an essential element to our readiness given the tough problems we expect our leaders to solve for their teams.”
“This summit provided invaluable knowledge, practical applications and a transformative learning experience that will benefit us for years to come,” said Chief Master Sgt. Karissa Gunter, Space Launch Delta 45 senior enlisted Airman at Patrick Space Force Base. “
We all left eager to apply new skills in a creative way and connected to a network of peers that quickly became friends.”
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3872205/ssc-senior-enlisted-leaders-discuss-leadership-roles-at-first-ever-summit/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13739361/congress-investigates-alien-mummies-peru-independent-analysis-tennessee.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9L92P9eU3I
US Congress to investigate controversial Peru 'alien' mummies amid fears they could be linked to UFOs
Updated: 10:01 EDT, 14 August 2024
Peru's famous 'alien mummies' are set for the US, where Congress has pledged to crack the mysterious cases once and for all.
Republican Tim Burchett, known for his outspoken criticism of the US government's UFO secrecy, vowed to assemble 'the most important people in the world' to examine the bodies, which some scientists claim harbor '30 percent unknown' DNA.
The congressman said he would initiate this new analysis at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in his home state.
The team at Tennessee have obtained half-a-million dollars from the Department of Justice late last year to better understand skeletal remains and 'relic DNA.'
Though Rep. Burchett has not called the bodies 'alien' yet, his plan is sure to spark furor akin to the firestorm that accompanied the mummies' debut before Mexico's Congress last September.
Legal experts also told DailyMail.com that, despite Rep. Burchett's best efforts, US treaty agreements with Peru could delay transnational shipping of the eerie remains.
The Republican lawmaker made his pledge to veteran Mexican broadcast journalist and prolific UFO researcher Jaime Maussan in a new interview, which aired Monday.
'I will gladly help you,' Rep. Burchett said during his appearance on Maussan's 'No Humano' ('Non-Human'), 'help you find someone that would analyze them.'
'I would also be interested in getting some people to analyze those bodies that are independent of the federal government,' the congressman added, echoing myriad past comments in which he has accused federal officials of a UFO 'cover up.'
'We will look for the most important people in the world,' Rep Burchett said, in the Spanish-translated interview, 'right here in Tennessee.'
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville — the school that the congressman referenced as a likely candidate for this work — is home to an internationally recognized center for the forensic examination of human remains: the 'Body Farm.'
Last December, the US Department of Justice's R&D agency, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), awarded two grants to the Farm, more formally known as UT's Forensic Anthropology Center, totaling more than $580,000.
One of these grants, amounting to $229,000, will help forensic researchers better grasp (and one day correct for) the phenomena of so-called 'relic DNA,' which can linger on a site of forensic interest and thus contaminate dig sites and crime scenes
A third project at the Body Farm connected to DOJ's NIJ will spend $660,000 hoping to improve the genotyping of older and long-decomposed skeletal remains' DNA.
'There are well-established, validated, practices for SNP Genotyping from recently deceased, fully fleshed human remains,' as one UT assistant anthropology professor, Dr. Amy Mundorff, put it to the local NBC affiliate.
'This project seeks to validate these procedures to achieve similar results from skeletonized remains,' she explained.
Both projects could bring forensic anthropology's latest tech and methodology to bear on the elusive origins of Maussan's now seven-and-counting, 'tridactyl' mummies, which the UFO researcher maintains could be extraterrestrial.
Maussan, whose research has courted controversy for nearly a decade, has floated the idea that the mummies might be alien-human 'hybrids' — and he's now suing Peru's government for the right to ship the bodies to more advanced labs in the US.
'So far we have tomographies [CT scans] and fluoroscopy analysis,' Maussan told DailyMail.com earlier this spring, describing the x-ray and ultrasound data on the mummies that he unveiled at a March 12, 2024 press event.
And at the conference, he pushed for more analysis on the specimens in a plea for continued inquiry into the bodies' true origins.
'If I were faking this, I wouldn't put it available to everyone,' Maussan said at this March press conference. 'It's open to everyone.'
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During his interview with the Tennessee lawmaker, Maussan called Rep. Burchett 'a hero' for his public advocacy on the declassification of America's UFO files, adding that efforts to study his mummified tridactyl specimens also needed 'a champion.'
For well over a year, Rep. Burchett has become a vocal and prominent member of what has been called the 'House UAP Caucus' - a bipartisan effort to get to the truth behind what are now technically referred to as Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).
Undaunted by push back that led to the passage of a 'disappointing,' watered-down version of Congress's 2023 UFO disclosure act, Rep. Burchett also said he will keep pressing for 'complete declassification' of the government's UFO files.
He also confirmed that fellow Rep. Anna Paulina Luna plans to launch new open hearings on these otherworldly mysteries 'before the end of the year.
'l'm not going to give into the pressure from any of the parties that say we have to do this hearing right now or the people who say we are not going to do it,' he explained.
'We are going to have one' the congressman added in his translated interview. 'That is what Luna and others have expressed.'
Rep. Burchett attributed the ongoing secrecy and the efforts to thwart public access to the government's records on UFOs, UAP and 'aliens' as nothing more than 'greed, power, and arrogance' from career bureaucrats in the US national security sector.
'We are going to continue until we have complete declassification,' Rep. Burchett said. 'Nothing less, year after year.'
His words come amid a summer of quiet but diligent efforts on Capitol Hill to keep the pursuit of UFO secrets alive — including new efforts by Senators Mike Rounds and Chuck Schumer to pass a more robust version of their UFO disclosure act
In mid-July, Senators Schumer and Rounds doubled-down on their proposed amendment from last year, reintroducing it as the 'Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act of 2024.'
The new proposal seeks to codify into law many of the robust oversight powers stripped from last year's version, including the presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed UAP Records Review Board, to be granted broad subpoena power and 'eminent domain' authority to seize UAP evidence from private contractors.
The 2024 version of the amendment also includes much of the precisely defined new language that has become synonymous with wild allegations of a UFO cover-up in the past few years: terms like 'non-human intelligence,' and 'legacy program.'
Such legal intricacies have increased in significance on the twin issues of UAP and alleged visitations by otherworldly 'non-human' beings — a direct consequence of these topics moving from the fringe into the mainstream.
Former Colorado prosecutor Josh McDowell, who led a team of US medical examiners to investigate the 'alien' mummies this April, told DailyMail.com that any effort to have these specimens studied stateside would face diplomatic hurdles
'The big question I get from people is 'Why the hold up on tests?'' McDowell explained. 'And the reality is that there are federal laws and a Memorandum of Understanding between Peru and the US about the importation of archaeological artifacts that require State approval.'
For over 25 years, in fact, the US and Peruvian governments gave worked in concert to reduce the illicit trafficking of priceless Peruvian cultural and historical artifacts.
As of 2017, according to the US State Department, over 2,000 'looted and stolen items' have been returned to Peru under this 'Memorandum of Understanding.'
'Ideally you'd want to test the bodies with the best methods [and] modalities in a state of the art laboratory environment,' McDowell elaborated. 'And that means removing them from Peru, for an agreed upon time period, to a facility that can employ the best scientific methods.'
'Any study of the bodies would need to be completed with the approval of Peru,' he emphasized, 'and the country in which further scientific studies were completed.'
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