The Thirty-Second Window
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The Thirty-Second Window
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About this listen
The Incident
In the summer of 2025, Monica Reza—a 60-year-old elite aerospace engineer—went for a routine Sunday morning hike on the Mount Waterman Trail in the Angeles National Forest. She was an experienced hiker in peak physical condition.
At 9:10 AM, she was trailing about 30 feet behind her companion. He turned back, they made eye contact, and Monica smiled and waved. When he turned around again less than a minute later, the trail was empty. Despite a massive multi-agency search involving helicopters, infrared radar, and rappelling teams, not a single piece of her gear or clothing was ever found.
The "Mondaloy" Connection
Monica wasn't just a NASA JPL employee; she was a materials scientist who held the patent for Mondaloy. This specialized metal alloy is critical for modern rocket engines because it can withstand extreme heat and pressure without corroding.
The McCasland Link: The U.S. government project that funded Monica’s revolutionary metal research was overseen by none other than Maj. Gen. William "Neil" McCasland during his time at the Air Force Research Laboratory.