I realize that, but I'm suggesting that you may have misunderstood the author.
It sounds like you think the author is asserting that the null test article was intended as an experimental control and that its production of thrust is evidence for the null hypothesis.
I read him/her as asserting that the null test article is an experimental apparatus calibration tool, and that the reading of thrust suggests the apparatus is improperly calibrated, so that no results at all can be inferred from the experiment.
It sounds like you think the author is asserting that the null test article was intended as an experimental control and that its production of thrust is evidence for the null hypothesis.
I read him/her as asserting that the null test article is an experimental apparatus calibration tool, and that the reading of thrust suggests the apparatus is improperly calibrated, so that no results at all can be inferred from the experiment.