Person
Robert Bigelow
Founder of Bigelow Aerospace; his BAASS ran the AAWSAP contract
2007–2012 · AAWSAP, BAASS, and Skinwalker · Entrepreneur
A businessman, owner of Bigelow Aerospace and former owner of Skinwalker Ranch, in 2008 he obtained through the company BAASS the DIA contract for AAWSAP, funded with money obtained by his friend Harry Reid: $21,948,810 paid through December 2010. According to George Knapp's testimony, he negotiated unsuccessfully to receive an unusual material from Lockheed Martin.
- Controversies
- An analysis by Scientific American argues that there are good reasons to doubt the quality and objectivity of the 38 studies (DIRDs) produced by the scientists he hired.
- According to Jason Colavito, the $22 million went to searching for demons, goblins and aliens at Skinwalker Ranch (critical judgment).
- Today
- In September and October 2026 the PURSUE files published the AAWSAP contract and BAASS reports, including the one on the “Utah Ranch.”
Documented authority
It measures how documented and verifiable what the person claims is, not their honesty. Each criterion is scored from 0 to 2.
- Credentials 2/2
- The DIA contract with his company is documented by the files released in 2026.
- Direct access not applicable
- The sources consulted do not report public statements by him on the topic.
- Evidence provided not applicable
- Not applicable: does not advance claims of their own on UAP facts.
- Claims track record not applicable
- The sources consulted do not trace the outcome of any verifiable claims made by this person.
- Conflicts of interest not applicable
- Not applicable in the absence of public statements; his company was the contractor paid by the program.
Sources
- Written testimony of George Knapp to the House, September 9, 2025 (PDF) (primary source)
- CNN (Peter Bergen and Erik German), January 26, 2024: interview with Kirkpatrick (press)
- Scientific American: what really happened in the Pentagon's UFO office (press)
- Washington Spectator (Art Levine), July 20, 2023: “Spaceship of Fools” (press, skeptical)
- Watch The Stars: the sixth PURSUE tranche with the AAWSAP contract (aggregator) (other)
On this site
Documents 4
- The official objectives of the DIA's AAWSAP program (July 18, 2008) Original available
- The AAWSAP contract between the DIA and Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (September 22, 2008) and its modifications Original available
- The declassified documents on Kona Blue, the program proposed to DHS and never approved Original available
- Elizondo's written answers to Rep. Burlison's questions Documented provenance
Where the claims come from 1
Timeline 4
- 1996: Robert Bigelow buys Skinwalker Ranch in Utah
- Sep 22, 2008: The DIA awards the AAWSAP program to Robert Bigelow's company
- Sep 18, 2026: Sixth PURSUE release: the AAWSAP contract and the DIRD studies come out
- Aug 5, 2026: Bigelow: in February I suggested Trump announce a non-human presence
Open in the interactive archive The whole section: Directory of people
UAPgrade's entries are compiled with artificial intelligence (three verifiers with opposing roles) and checked against the sources listed above: how we work. Have a document that changes this entry? Bring it to the Investigations Unit.