Documents / FOIA release
This is a JPRS translation, dated 16 June 1992, of an article by Vladimir Lagovskiy in the Moscow newspaper Rabochaya Tribuna. It covers work at the Scientific Production Association of Experimental Machine Building, which has military ties, on a saucer-shaped vehicle. The vehicle would be driven by a fast electron flux acting on a high-temperature superconductor. Researcher Vasiliy Shabetnik also claims an 'energy conversion' process that could power a round trip to Alpha Centauri in 12 years.
Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.
# Concatenated JPRS Reports, 1992
## Document 5 of 20
develop a variable-geometry device. Starting from the surface would require a rather modest outlay of electric force. About 100 A will be sufficient for a 5-ton vehicle. It would be also easy to maneuver it by increasing or decreasing the current along its sides.
## 13. ...From Superconductor
14. In essence, the scientists are suggesting an electromagnetic means of conveyance, albeit modified in principle. There is no doubt in the principle itself. But would it be possible to realize it in practice? We need superconductors. The best one-for $ - 8 0^{\circ} \mathrm{C} $ -would suffice in space. The temperature there is much lower. Yet in the atmosphere, this threshold is insufficient.
15. 'Haven't you forgotten,' Vladimir Dmitriyevich is musing, 'that we suggested a superconductor which maintains zero conductivity at $ 8 5 0^{\circ} \mathrm{C}? $ '
16. 'No, I haven't forgotten. But this is still in the exploratory stage. '
## 17. ''Yes, exploratory. But quite real.''
18. Shabetnik and his colleagues are certain that they have discovered new fundamental patterns in the structure of matter. This knowledge enables them to explain the properties of matter differently from the way it has been done thus far-on the basis of the statistical and probabilistic concepts. They suggested a more natural approach.
19. For example, the researchers have demonstrated that the physical parameters of all elements depend on the quantity and state of the elementary particles in them. They also managed to establish the shape and structure of these building blocks. It turned out that in the physical world surrounding us, everything is subject to precise calculation: from the boiling point and entropy to superconductivity a phenomenon discovered yet still not explained from the viewpoint of the old notions. And whenever precise calculation is possible, it is possible to design substances with given properties. Thus, the scientists at first theoretically predicted the existence of superconductors with a $ - 8 0^{\circ} \mathrm{C} $ critical temperature. Then they developed it. And the result precisely confirmed the theory. And now there is a project for an $ 8 5 0^{\circ} $ [superconductor] and there is no reason to doubt that it, too, will succeed.
20. 'I won't disclose all the secrets,' Shabetnik says, 'but will give you a hint that the new superconductor can be based on plain iron. The trick is in the energy order of the remaining element Not linked to a story yet.
FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 5 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.