In early May 2025, a new round of documents related to Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) surfaced on Reddit. The files were posted anonymously by a user who claimed to be a former Department of Defense contractor with terminal illness. Identifying himself as an electrical engineer with decades of experience in black-budget aerospace and propulsion projects, the poster shared a mixture of documents, technical simulations, internal emails, and a detailed statement. He alleged the existence of operational gravitational propulsion systems derived from both reverse-engineered technology and human innovation.

The Reddit account responsible for the post disappeared less than 24 hours after the documents were made public. The short-lived nature of the account and the tone of urgency in the written statement quickly drew interest from both research communities and open-source intelligence analysts. The post named several high-profile figures involved in the study of unidentified aerial phenomena, including Jay Stratton, Lue Elizondo, and Admiral John Michael “Mike” McConnell, and accused them of suppressing technological breakthroughs. While many of the specific claims remain unconfirmed, multiple documents attached to the post match known FOIA releases or have been determined to be stylistically consistent with legitimate materials.

The files reference contract HHM402-08-C-0072, awarded to BAASS by the Defense Intelligence Agency under the now-public Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP). This program ran from 2008 to 2010 and focused on evaluating unconventional aerospace threats and technologies. The documents posted included colored versions of pages previously released in black-and-white under FOIA, leading some analysts to suggest that the individual had access to either original or earlier-generation copies.

John Greenewald, founder of The Black Vault, noted that one of the documents posted matched a page previously received through FOIA but appeared in color. According to Greenewald, his version and the official DIA release were both photocopies. The Reddit-posted version showed no signs of physical degradation, raising the possibility that the leaker either worked directly with these materials or retained original copies. Another comparison conducted by Greenewald focused on vertical banding visible in the printing, a characteristic sometimes caused by specific laser printers. The banding in both the leaked and known documents was similar, supporting the possibility of a shared point of origin.

The whistleblower’s central claim is that the widely discussed “Tic Tac” object, observed by U.S. Navy pilots in 2004, is of human origin. He stated that he worked on portions of its development and that it operates on a gravitational propulsion principle made possible through pulsed power systems, rotating magnetic elements, plasma toroids, and directed microwave emissions. He asserted that operational gravitational wave generators had been constructed using components such as Tesla turbines and crystal-based systems, without requiring meta-materials or unknown elements.

He further alleged that over 2,000 legacy programs are currently engaged in efforts to reverse-engineer unidentified aerospace technology. These programs, he stated, operate within major defense contractors including Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, Raytheon, Honeywell, and MITRE Corporation. According to the post, gravitational propulsion and high-frequency gravitational wave systems have been independently achieved by select engineering teams and have reached performance levels allowing for interstellar range.

While the technical descriptions in the whistleblower’s statement are detailed and consistent with known experimental concepts in fringe physics, several researchers and analysts have taken a cautious stance. Dan Zetterström (@TheZignal), who had access to some of the same documents in 2023, confirmed their authenticity but questioned the written claims that accompanied them. According to Zetterström, the documents themselves do not confirm human origin of the Tic Tac or any interstellar capability.

Similarly, the account @OSIRISUAP provided context regarding how some of the simulations were generated. According to their analysis, BAASS used ANSYS CFX, a well-known computational fluid dynamics software, to model air flow around Tic Tac-shaped objects. This software is widely used in the aerospace industry and produces visually striking graphics that simulate Mach number contours, pressure gradients, and flow behavior under various assumed conditions. The concern raised by critics is that these simulations were based not on sensor-confirmed performance data, but on speculative assumptions about speed, altitude, and maneuverability derived from anecdotal observations.

The documents posted by the whistleblower included a CFD analysis simulating a craft moving at 1,500 mph at 25°F, producing shockwave patterns and flow separation zones. Another simulation modeled behavior at 700 mph. Critics point out that the simulation inputs appear to have been chosen to match dramatic narrative expectations, rather than drawn from hard telemetry. As such, while the simulations themselves are technically sound, they may not reflect actual craft performance.

Also included was a table of acceleration data, estimating forces as high as 7,350 g over half a second of flight. These numbers are mathematically consistent but physiologically implausible, especially for any organic crew. The simulations, while illustrative, are not inherently evidence of craft behavior. As @OSIRISUAP explained, using legitimate engineering software does not validate the underlying assumptions entered into the models. The graphics produced, while compelling, may be more speculative design exercise than forensic reconstruction.

A separate document outlined an internal BAASS facility plan proposing the construction of a vault at Bigelow’s North Las Vegas campus. The stated intent was to store biological samples and hardware under strict physical security. The architecture included underground walls of reinforced concrete and a multi-layered tunnel access system. While the facility was constructed, there is no public evidence that any recovered material or biological sample was ever stored there.

One internal email dated June 3, 2009, from DIA personnel to BAASS contractor James Lacatski, confirms the assignment of SCIF ID DI-09-021 to Bigelow’s facility and discusses its progress toward accreditation. The SCIF was not yet approved to store compartmented material at that point. However, the email matches the tone, structure, and chain-of-custody process used by DIA and aligns with previously released records.

International collaborations mentioned in the documents also reference Soviet-era experiments into “rotational gravitation.” Russian institutions such as the Scientific and Research Institute of Thermal Processes (NIITP) and the Center for Synergetics at Moscow State University were named in slides and charts. The research model is based on the theoretical work of G. I. Shipov and A. F. Chernyaev, who investigated non-tensor approaches to gravitational dynamics involving torsion fields and vacuum interaction.

The whistleblower’s description of experimental equipment referenced Tesla turbines, plasma toroid containment, rotating magnets, and microwave beam forming. He claimed that gravitational waves were generated and detected using electromagnetic coupling techniques. These claims draw from theoretical frameworks that remain largely unverified within mainstream physics but are consistent with fringe literature dating back several decades.

Some elements in the post have no verification. The claim that Admiral Mike McConnell served as a high-level gatekeeper for UAP-related technologies while at Booz Allen cannot be substantiated with publicly available information. The allegation that Lue Elizondo and Jay Stratton suppressed the work of inventors developing zero-point energy devices is also not corroborated by any official source.

Among the more grounded aspects of the release are multiple references to publicly accessible FOIA documents now hosted on the DIA’s Electronic Reading Room. These include the original BAASS project management plan, archived emails between contractors and DIA program managers, and engineering simulation reports that were independently acquired by researchers like Greenewald and journalist Tim McMillan. The alignment of these materials with those posted by the Reddit user adds weight to the assertion that the individual had access to non-public copies or pre-release versions.

Greenewald emphasized that the appearance of color versions of documents previously seen only in monochrome does not by itself authenticate the broader narrative, but it does suggest proximity to original documentation. He also noted printer artifacts in the leaked files that closely resemble those in previously obtained FOIA material, reinforcing the possibility of shared source origin.

The broader claim that gravitational propulsion has been mastered and suppressed by military contractors remains unsubstantiated. Statements about interstellar range, anti-gravity systems, and covert operational craft are not supported by any direct documentation in the leak. However, the documents do confirm that BAASS conducted technically serious modeling and proposed extensive infrastructure to handle sensitive material. These activities, while not proving the existence of recovered non-human technology, confirm that government funding was directed toward advanced speculative research during the AAWSAP era.

In sum, the Reddit leak combines three distinct components. First, there are confirmed documents, some of which are matched to FOIA releases and validated by independent researchers. Second, there are technical simulations and diagrams that, while visually impressive, rely on unverified assumptions and may serve illustrative rather than forensic purposes. Third, there is the whistleblower’s narrative, which includes claims about propulsion breakthroughs, corporate suppression, and covert interstellar technology. This final component is currently unverifiable and should be treated as personal testimony rather than documented fact.

The post has since been removed, and the account no longer exists. No follow-up from the poster has emerged, and no additional files have been released as of this writing. The situation highlights the ongoing difficulty in evaluating the credibility of leaks in the UAP research space, where classified material, technical speculation, and personal grievance often converge.

Still, this incident underscores how much of the conversation around UAPs is shaped not only by official releases, but also by informal disclosures, independent verification, and public scrutiny. While the most extraordinary claims remain unresolved, the release has added new context to an already complex landscape of government-funded aerospace research and public speculation.