What is Project Greenglow?

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.