I'm sure you're well versed in physics (so save your pedantic tone for the classroom.) Are you well versed in statistics and mathematics? I would certainly think so.
But your sort of making the point yourself with your question. "What is dark matter?" Its a math trick to make your numbers work. Its BS. As I said its phlogiston. Is it useful as a model for the moment? Sure! But its still HUGE BS fudge factor and you need to admit that.
If you can't figure out why that is I suggest you return your diploma (and that pedigree you drag around) to the play-dough factory.
I've worked with your type. When there's shit flying all around you you'll still probably argue against it. In addition, what seems to be the problem with testing an anomalous thrust further? Why are all your posts basically sounding like "Nothing to see here..., Keep moving..."
Your name implies your agenda. Is that independent of the empirical? Will you change it to I_Live_In_Book_And_Its_My_Reality if your wrong?
You won't find it (an OBSERVABLE which you seem to discount over theory) because it's not there! Your model is very very wrong.
Are you of the opinion that we know everything about physics that there is to know and that this dogma you spout is immutable? It seems that way.
And honestly, none of it matters until you account for the anomalous thrust (you seem to think we should go la-la-la and not even try to figure that out, and I wonder openly what your angle is) -
Do you think the Chinese are lying too?