Contents:
1. Examination of some Awarded NIAC Final Reports by Space Specialist.
2. Criteria for Estimation of Scientific Works.
3. Result of Scientific investigation.
by Space Specialists
The international press a lot times wrote about machinations of director the NASA Institute of Advance Concepts (NIAC) Mr. Cassanova, who creates sinecure and gives the taxpayers money (millions of dollars!) his friends, protege, and useful people as awards for their "scientific researches", which make the revolution in the aerospace. (see, for example,
http://english.pravda.ru/mailbox/22/98/396/14417_NASA.html ).
In the NIAC site Mr. Cassanova has written that every proposal should be reviewed by three internal and three external reviewers. The applicants asked Mr. Cassanova to present the reviews with date of review and reviewer decision (give grant or no and why awarded proposal is better). What sum is awards?
Mr. Cassanova did not reply to any of these simple requests. Why??
The explanations are very simple: NO reviewer, NO review panels, No peer reviewers, NO scientists who took part in the review process, No voting, No scientists who see the proposals, NO anything! Everything is just a fabricated fiction. There is only Mr. Cassanova in the NIAC who changes all reviewers, all scientists (in any scientific fields!), all panels, and all debates. Who distributes tens (hundreds?) of millions dollars government (taxpayers) money to his friends and insiders (to grease their palms?).
May be Mr. Cassanova is a genius, who is an expert in the all areas of sciences and developer of the space sciences? Applicants asked him to send the list of his articles. No reply. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) collected all scientific works published in the USA or presented in the American Conferences. If to open the AIAA site:
http://www.aiaa.org ,
and to search the name "Cassanova", you will see that Mr. Cassanova wrote only ONE (!!) unimportant scientific work about 30 years ago (1976) with four co-authors where Mr. Cassanova is not the first one.
The main problem and the main break of space development now is a very high cost of space delivery that is about $20,000 - $50,000 per pound (453 grams). It is absolutely necessary to decrease this cost in hundreds and thousands times up to $2-5 per pound. Only in this case we can widely to explore the space widely, to develop the space tourism, Moon base, and Mars trip. More then 80% of finance should be directed to the new space launch systems, to new power systems, to low-cost launch of the space loads.
Mr. Cassanova does not comprehed it. In his Annual Report 2003 (p.12) he named 30 critical technologies, but low-cost launch and power system do not mention there!? It not a surprise, because Mr. Cassanova wrote only one paper in 30 years with four co-authors.
The overview: The NIAC spent more 50 millions dollars in 8 years, but they did not suggest new concepts or ideas?! The most (90%) NIAC final "research" reports are idle talk (no scientific results, no preproduction models, no right scientific reports, the final reports content a lot of scientific mistakes, and so on). For example, the final reports don't have any scientific results: Space Elevator (award about 1 millions dollars), Bio Suite (awards about 1 millions dollars), Chameleon Suit (award about 1 millions dollars), Control weather (awards about 1 millions dollars), Cocoon vehicle (work contains only scientific mistakes), antimatter sail (empty useless work), and so on (see Final reports in NIAC WEB).
Now the NIAC is just a private manager for "friends" and has spent 90% of government (taxpayers) money not very effectively, and specifically in fraudulent and criminal ways in many cases.
For example, Mr. Cassanova awarded 4 (four !!) times by one (and more) millions dollars to the following persons:
Howe S., Colozza a., Nock K., Cash w., Hoffman R., Winglee R. He awarded three times for one (and more) million
dollars to Dubowsky S., Kammash N., LaPointe M., Rice E., Slough J., Newman D.
Below you find some of these "scientific researches". See the Final Reports and estimate: do they cost the huge money, which Mr. Cassanova monocracy gives to his friends?
It is difficult to consider them as "scientific" works, because the most of them are written as idle talk without significantly scientific base, detail data, equations, computations, references and other obligatory scientific attributes.
Below are some comments of space scientists. The estimation made by the following criteria:
1) Is this author idea or invention? If scientist is not author of idea, how is this idea old? How much are scientific works related to this idea? What innovations or inventions the author includes in this idea?
2) Is there the scientific research of this idea (new mathematical model of phenomena, new equation, computation, estimations)? Has this idea a perspective? If grant is more $100,000, did researcher make the model or development type?
3) Is it published the main results and a cost (grant) of this research in scientific journals?
4) Is this idea revolutionary?
Below are short analyses of some NIAC "researches": Opposed works is taken from book "Non-Rocket Space Launch and Flight", Elsevier, London, 2006. All works of this book were presented to NIAC, but Mr. Cassanova did not want even to consider them because the authors are not member of Cassanova's gang. Some of these works the reader finds in site: http://Bolonkin.narod.ru/p65.htm
1. Bradley Edwards, Space Elevator.
Award is about one millions of dollars ($645,000 for Edwards plus $330,000 for Mr. Cassanova, total cost is 0ne million of dollars)
There are no equation, no computations, no scientific results, no ideas, no anything for sciences. You find only 42 pages an idle talk, explanation what is space elevator for schoolboys, and pictures for children. Every page of the idle talk is paid by more $20,000 !!!
But may be space elevator is Cassanova-Edwars idea?
Historic note: The idea of Space Elevator offered by Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky more then the 100 years ago in his famous book "Dreams about Earth and Space" in 1894 !! The detail ideas and research was made by Russian scientists Arstytanov. That was published in a supplement to well-known newspaper "Komsomolskaia Pravda" on 31 July 1960 (circulation is more two millions copies). Later many excellent scientific works were published about Space Elevator (nobody of them does not refer in "Final Report"), many very good ready works and proposals for research of this topic were offered to NIAC. All of them were declined by Mr. Cassanova. He awarded the Edward work! Summary:
a) No new idea in this work.
b) No any scientific results in this work. Cassanova's decision: Excellent work!! Mr. Cassanova awarded this "research" two times by total one millions dollars!!
Reaction of World press can be seen in Internet.
The Edwards final report is presented below.
We recommend to use old version of this report in our site (in pdf) because Mr. Cassanova adulterated or deleted this "scientific" report from NIAC site.
May be no good research of space elevator in the USA? As example you find below one research, which also was presented to NIAC, but Mr. Cassanova did not support it by one cent.
Opposed Space Elevator research presented to NIAC, but not reviewed and not support
What new is it made in this work only for Space Elevator, Moon and Mars systems:
The main innovations, inventions, new theories, equations, researches, and results were received in this Report
1. Innovations and Inventions.
New Cable Transport System is offered (inventions). This system may be used for Space Elevator, as space transport system Earth-Moon, Earth-Mars (see appropriate author articles and Reports), as Earth ground system (see author patent) and so on. At present time that is single realistic system for Space Elevator.
New Cable Energy Transferor is proposed (inventions). That is single realistic energy transferor for Space Elevator. That can transfer energy (thrust) at tens of thousands kilometers.
The installations for change of system (cable) length is offered (inventions).
The chain for variable cross-section transferor is proposed (invention).
It is suggested the New Delivery System Earth-Mars.
It is suggested the New Delivery System Earth-Moon (invention).
2. New Theories, equations, researches, and results are received and developed.
a) Developed theory of optimal (minimal weight) cable for Space Elevator, cable cross section area, cable mass, the lift force, the equalizer mass, required mobile cabin work, needed altitude, orbit perigee, orbit period for jettisonable tourist cabins, orbit and interplanetary space ships, for stress in cable, formulas for estimation of cost [Eq. (1.4) (1.13)]. All these equation are new.
3. Computation.
a) It is using the new theory, equations, and researches the three projects are computed:
Space Elevator,
Delivery System Earth-Mars,
Delivery System Earth-Moon.
Main results of computation are presented in graphs*.
-------------------------------
* Work was presented at the World Space Congress-2002, 10-19 October, Houston, TX, USA. Paper No. IAC-02-V.P.07. Work was published: Journal JBIS, Vol. 56, No 7/8, 2003, pp.231-249 and in book "Non-Rocket Space Launch and Flight" (Ch.1), Elsevier, London, 2006. Note: All new revolutionary works (more 35) included into book "Non-Rocket Space Launch and Flight" were presented to NIAC, but Mr. Cassanova did not want to consider them, because applicants are non members of Cassanova's gang.(see also in site: http://Bolonkin.narod.ru/p65.htm )
2. Dave Newman, Bio-Suite.
Award is about one millions of dollars.
There are excellent space suites for cosmonauts and astronauts now. They are using them when they flew to the Earth orbits and to the Moon. They use it when they went to the open space.
Ms. Dava Newman wants to throw away the current excellent environmental suite and to spray the astronaut with plastic. She does not know that astronaut has internal pressure as several tons. He must defecate, perspire, respire, and move. He will not be able to do it in Newman suite.
Ms. Newman received from Mr. Cassanova about one millions dollars, but she can not present even a swimming trunks made by her method. Her reports are only idle talk about useless, impossible, exotic suite.
Mr. Cassanova awarded Ms. Newman two times. Why Mr. Cassanova awarded Ms. Newman? It is easy to understend: Ms. Newman was in the NIAC Advisory Council and many years she covered the illegal activity of Mr. Cassanova. That way Mr. Casanova violates Ethic Rules and presents the million of dollars to useful person. From expert review:
The work is full mistake because Mr. Cassanova and Newman did know that internal pressure into man is more 0.5 ton. In Earth's atmosphere and usual space suite this pressure is balanced outer atmosphere or internal suit pressure. In Newman-Cassanova layer is densely covering the astronaut body it is impossible. If layer made strong the man cannot to breathe. Summary:
a) No mixing ratio for spray (covering, coating).
b) No testing on animals or men.
c) No any scientific results in this work.
d) No production model.
e) No testing and comparison bio suite with current EVA suite by independent Commission.
f) No one million dollars. Cassanova's decision: Excellent work!! Mr.Cassanova awarded this "research" two times by total one millions dollars!!
3. E. Hodgson, A Chameleon Suite
Award is about one millions of dollars.
Mr. Cassanova has troubled how the cosmonauts will be at Pluto and the sun will illuminate them. He is not known there are EVA suites which proved as excellent space clothes. Their color gives an optimal temperature for cosmonauts and astronauts. If the astronaut arrives at Pluto (in 3000 year!) and he feel a hot weather, he will slip on other color overall.
Mr. Cassanova advance awarded Mr. Hodgson for absolutely useless "research". Mr. Hodgson did not present even the production model of his chameleon suite. Summary: see case above.
Cassanova's decision: Excellent work!! Mr. Cassanova awarded this "research" two times by total one millions dollars!!
4. R. Hoffman, Controlling the Global Weather
Award is about one million dollar.
There is the gigantic weather Institute and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which conduct research and develop this problem for hundred of years. Why Mr. Cassanova did not send this proposal to NOVA? Because the NOAA will burst out laughing and will not give one cent for this "research". But Mr. Cassanova very wants to award his protege.
If you think Mr. Cassanova-Hoffman will control weather after getting one million dollars, you will make a big mistake. This "research" does not contain any practical results. It has only speculations. Summary: see case above. Cassanova's decision: Excellent work!! Mr. Cassanova awarded this "research" two times by total one millions dollars!!
Taxpayers can only cry how Mr. Cassanova spends their money.
5. Omidi. Cocoon Vehicle Award is more $100,000 (75,000.00 dollars + about $30.000 for Mr.Cassanova)
This work has pretensions of "scientific" work. However, it well shows as Cassanova selects the researcher. This work has ONLY principal mistakes. We note only some of them:
a) The electric charge locates in space plasma (solar wind) and unlike charges are immediately neutralized the gigantic (4000 C !!) ship charge (electric intensity decreases from billion volt to 5-10 thousands volts and less). It means ALL Omidi's computations are incorrect.
b) Mr.Cassanova-Omidi do not know that charged ball will has tensile stress from electric charge and ball thickness will be not 10 microns, but thousand times more. It means the ship flight data will be thousands times worse then they computed.
c) Computations of discharging are all wrong.
The Mr. Omidi requested financery 5 times, if Mr. Cassanova gives him one million (study two), Mr. Omidi will make gross errors a lot of times more. Summary:
a) No any scientific results in this work.
b) There are ONLY gross scientific errors.
e) No this money in taxpayer purse.
Cassanova's decision: Excellent work!! Mr.Cassanova awarded this "research"!!
http://www.niac.usra.edu/files/studies/final_report/636Omidi.pdf
The real innovation and research of electrostatic solar sail was made in AIAA-2005-3857, presented in 41 Propulsion Conference and published in book "Non-Rocket Space Launch and Flight", Chapter 13. This work was presented some time in NIAC, but Mr. Cassanova hided it from consideration.
6. Howe, Antimatter Sail and Storage (He awarded 4 times!).
Award is more $200,000 (150,000.00 dollars + about $60,000 for Mr. Cassanova.)
The world science can get only separated atoms antimatter which exists some nanoseconds. Their cost are billions dollars. The World science don't n know how to safe antimatter.
However Mr. Cassanova hurries up to award his protege by taxpayer money for 10 pages of absolutely empty speculations about this problem. It is 10 thousands dollars for every page! It has no conscience at all. Summary:
a) No new idea in this work.
b) That is not scientific works. No equations for computation.
c) No any scientific results in this work. Cassanova's decision: Excellent work!! Mr.Cassanova awarded this "research"!!
7. Maise, Exploration of Jovian Atmosphere Using Nuclear Flyer.
Award (total expenses) is one millions of dollars
The NASA spend a lot of years for production of industrial hypersonic engine for Earth atmosphere which contains oxygen. NASA doesn't produce nuclear engine for Earth, for Space ship.But Mr. Cassanova easily produced (fiction) engine (flyer 500 kg!) for Jovian atmosphere, which is unknown.
Don't think that protege of Mr. Cassanova presented the production model. He presented only some pages of common speculations. Summary:
a) No new idea in this work.
b) No any scientific results in this work.
c) That is not scientific work.
Cassanova's decision: Excellent work!! Mr. Cassanova awarded this "research" two times by total one millions dollars!!
Discussing
We considered only 7 from about two hundreds Cassanova's awards. But 90% final reports are the idle talks. It not means that no talent scientists in the USA. That means that the system of funding and awarding of scientific works is wrong. Mr. Cassanova is employee of university system and he tries funding his friends and protege in his system. However, the universities take the funded money for itself and do not pay them to professor who received the fixed salary. The professor is overloads by lectures, work with students, examining. He does not have time and possibility to make serious research which requests the huge efforts and much time. That's why he wrote the idle talk report, pseudo-scientific work.
The USA National Research Council (NRC) found the best solution of this problem one send scientists to government research centers or laboratories and they works full time 1-2 years into them.
Conclusion
The best way is to withdraw this function and this money from NASA-NIAC-USRA, pass them to Special Government (or the National Academies) Committee included the famous scientists and to award the published works (researches) contained new concepts, ideas, inventions, and innovations. To make it in an open competition.
The Nobel Committee is not awarding the man who only promised to make the notable research. Why paltry Cassanova gives out the millions of taxpayer dollars to his friends without any control and government auditing? Any non-scientists can see that their "final reports" are idle talk, non-scientific works and do not cost the gigantic money which Mr. Cassanova gives his protege.
Same situation is in universities researches ordered by Army, NAVY, Air Force. The universities request advance payment. When they produce the final report, the Government customer finds himself in the complex situation: to admit himself guilt (incapacity to select researcher) or accepts final report and told - "All are OK".