The Cut-Out Architecture: InterNASA, TTSA, and Parallel Structures // The Global Compact Fusion & Plasma Weapons Investigation

4. The Cut-Out Architecture: InterNASA, TTSA, and Parallel Structures

4.1 The Cut-Out Concept

A "cut-out" is an intelligence community term for an intermediary that allows two parties to interact without direct contact. In the context of technology assessment, a cut-out allows the government to assess private sector technologies without formal acknowledgment of the assessment relationship. The cut-out structure provides deniability — if the relationship is exposed, the government can credibly state that it had no formal relationship with the technology developer.

Declassified CIA records establish the operational patterns that define a cut-out structure:

No written contracts: CIA LILINK (1963) operated with "no written contracts of any kind." Colombia networks operated on the principle that "everything must be agreed to orally."
Shell company structures: Blackwater used 30+ shell companies. The Firmage network used 12+ interconnected LLCs.
Carve-out oversight suspension: SAP carve-out contracts suspend normal congressional oversight.
"License to lie": SAP officials can legally deny a program's existence. Denial of involvement is expected behavior, not evidence of non-involvement.
Funding obfuscation: SAP funding is "not directly linked to the program." Approximately $59 million flowed through ManyOne LLC — potentially including pass-through SAP funding.

4.2 InterNASA (2016-2018)

InterNASA was launched in 2016 as "National Academy of Science and Arts, LLC" — a Firmage-connected company. Its characteristics are consistent with a private sector cut-out for technology assessment:

Intelligence connections: Ronald Pandolfi (alleged CIA "Weird Desk") and Hal Puthoff provided intelligence community credibility
IC methods: The company used "intelligence summaries" and surveillance — intelligence community operational methods
Technology focus: Anti-gravity and advanced propulsion technology assessment
Personnel: Technical experts providing unpaid voluntary services under 50 USC 3203
Corporate structure: 12+ interconnected LLCs (all now expired), consistent with shell company obfuscation
Collapse: ~2018 when the project ended — all LLCs began expiring, leaving no public trace

4.3 To The Stars Academy (2017-2021)

TTSA was launched in 2017 — one year after InterNASA — as a public-facing entertainment and science company. Its characteristics are consistent with a public disclosure vehicle for the same network:

Intelligence connections: Luis Elizondo (AATIP director), Chris Mellon (former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence), Hal Puthoff
Public-facing: NYT article (December 16, 2017), media campaigns, entertainment content
Technology focus: UAP disclosure and advanced technology acquisition
Corporate structure: Public company (delisted 2021)
Collapse: Delisted 2021 — the public cut-out was no longer needed

4.4 The Parallel Structure

Likely: Both InterNASA and TTSA were commercial vehicles for the "Invisible College," serving complementary roles in a coordinated strategy:

InterNASA was the private/quiet cut-out: Technology assessment, no public profile, unpaid technical experts
TTSA was the public/loud cut-out: Disclosure, media campaigns, entertainment content
Hal Puthoff was the common link between both entities
The one-year stagger (InterNASA 2016, TTSA 2017) suggests a coordinated strategy — first establish the quiet assessment channel, then launch the public disclosure channel
Both collapsed when the cut-outs were no longer needed — InterNASA ~2018, TTSA delisted 2021

4.5 The Corporate Structure

The Firmage network's corporate structure — 12+ interconnected LLCs — is itself consistent with intelligence community cut-out methodology:

Motion Physics LLC, Motion Sciences, Science Invents LLC
ManyOne LLC, ManyOne World LLC, ManyOne Networks Inc., ManyOne Foundation
Academy of Sciences and Arts LLC (DBA InterNASA), InterNASA LLC
Integral Initiatives LLC, 21C Corporation
FPT (separate but connected through Banduric)

Approximately $59 million flowed through ManyOne. The SEC investigated (2016-2017) but took no enforcement action (January 2018). All entities have since expired — no public trace remains, consistent with SAP cut-out design. The corporate structure served its purpose and was dissolved.

4.6 The Personnel Structure

The personnel structure of the cut-out reflects the "Invisible College" network:

Technology intermediary: Hal Puthoff — imported Russian gyroscope, CIA/DIA compartmented program veteran (Stargate)
IC technology assessor: Ronald Pandolfi — CIA "Weird Desk" (alleged), DNI/DIA technology assessment
ODNI DS&T: Dr. David A. Honey — statutory authority for private sector technology assessment (2016-2018)
Public-facing entrepreneur: Joe Firmage — corporate face, recruited experts and investors
Unpaid technical expert: Participant A — voluntary services under 50 USC 3203
Technology developer: Richard Banduric — FPT spin-out, later SBIR transition
Media/communications: Bob Kiviat — public narrative management
Investor/financier: Ken Marriott — visible private funding