On Sunday, Robert Bigelow — real estate mogul and founder of the space habitat company Bigelow Aerospace — did an interview with 60 Minutes, in which he touted the strengths of the commercial space industry and how private companies would pave the way for people to live in space. He also said aliens have definitely visited Earth.

Lara Logan: Do you believe in aliens?

Robert Bigelow: I'm absolutely convinced. That's all there is to it.

Lara Logan: Do you also believe that UFOs have come to Earth?

Robert Bigelow: There has been and is an existing presence, an ET presence. And I spent millions and millions and millions -- I probably spent more as an individual than anybody else in the United States has ever spent on this subject.

Bigelow told 60 Minutes that he first became interested in aliens after his grandparents had a close encounter with a UFO outside Las Vegas once. “It really sped up and came right into their face and filled up the entire windshield of the car,” he said during the interview. “And it took off at a right angle and shot off into the distance.”

Admitting you believe in aliens is one thing, but Bigelow seems to be no less than a true Believer. He told 60 Minutes that he’s also had “close encounters” but wouldn’t divulge any specifics. And apparently, Bigelow owns a company that has been getting referrals from the FAA about reports of UFOs and other weird activity, 60 Minutes confirmed. In fact, his fascination with aliens is the reason there’s an alien illustration on the side of Bigelow Aerospace’s headquarters in Las Vegas.

Skeptical? That’s fine. He doesn’t care about the haters.

Lara Logan: Is it risky for you to say in public that you believe in UFOs and aliens?

Robert Bigelow: I don't give a damn. I don't care.

Lara Logan: You don't worry that some people will say, "Did you hear that guy, he sounds like he's crazy"?

Robert Bigelow: I don't care.

Lara Logan: Why not?

Robert Bigelow: It's not gonna make a difference. It's not gonna change reality of what I know.

Lara Logan: Do you imagine that in our space travels we will encounter other forms of intelligent life?

Robert Bigelow: You don't have to go anywhere.

Lara Logan: You can find it here? Where exactly?

Robert Bigelow: It's just like right under people's noses. Oh my gosh. Wow.

To be fair, if aliens are already living here, I guess it doesn’t really matter if you believe in them or not. They seem to be blending in just fine. Also, Bigelow’s belief doesn’t seem to have detracted much from his success. He told Logan he’s made enough from building long-stay rental apartments to support Bigelow Aerospace, which launched its first inflatable human-rated habitat last year. The module, known as the BEAM, is currently attached to the International Space Station. Meanwhile, Bigelow Aerospace is working toward making an even bigger space station called the B330, which the company wants to send to space as early as 2020. No word yet if aliens are secretly working on the technology.

 

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https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/30/15712270/robert-bigelow-ufo-aliens-60-minutes-aerospace