Robert Bigelow's and MUFON's hybrid UFO investigation venture 'under review' in 2010

NASA: Robert Bigelow (3rd from left) with Ames Mars rover

The reach of Robert Bigelow space enterprises into the FAA UFO reporting structure is official.  A February 11, 2010 directive issued by the Federal Aviation Administration to the FAA Air Traffic Organization setting out how pilots and all individuals should report sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) sightings and appearing now on the FAA website specifically mentions an organization controlled by Las Vegas real estate and aerospace entrepreneur Robert Bigelow, stating in part that “Persons wanting to report UFO/unexplained phenomena activity should contact a UFO/ unexplained phenomena reporting data collection center, such as Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS)…, the National UFO Reporting Center, etc..”

Other UFO reporting organizations not mentioned by the FAA include the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) and UFOs Northwest.

Reached by this reporter at his office in Las Vegas, Dr. Colm A. Kelleher, BAASS Deputy Administrator confirmed that BAASS has an office established to receive UFO reports.  He stated that the monthly volume of UFO reports received by BAASS is “infrequent.”  Dr. Kelleher stated that BAASS received no FAA funds for receiving UFO reports.  This reporter verified that BAASS UFO hotline staff was on duty to receive UFO reports.

Dr. Kelleher and Mark Easter, public relations director for Colorado-based MUFON, gave Examiner.com an exclusive insight into the state of relations between the for-profit BAASS organization, and MUFON, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that with approximately 2500 members in 50 states remains one of the largest UFO organizations in the world.  In the article below, Examiner.com evaluates the future of this hybrid partnership for leading edge UFO research into “cases where physical effects of a UFO are reported or where ‘living beings’ are allegedly sighted or where ‘reality transformation’ is said to occur.”

The FAA and the Bigelow organizations

Although the FAA video below has now reportedly been removed from the FAA website, the very existence of the video illustrates the penetration of Mr. Bigelow’s enterprises into the FAA’s UFO reporting mandate.

The specific mention of Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) in FAA Air Traffic Organization manuals for UFO reporting procedures follows a reported mention of a BAASS predecessor organization, the now-defunct National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS) also founded by space entrepreneur Robert Bigelow.  

One informed source interviewed speculates that the reported specific references to NIDS and subsequently to BAASS in FAA UFO reporting procedures are a result of Mr. Bigelow’s entrepreneurial connections within the aerospace industry, and within the FAA itself.  The FAA’s reported removal of the UFO video from the prominence of its website, according to another of the sources interviewed, resulted from the “can of worms” the FAA realized they had opened by naming individual UFO reporting organization such as BAASS, once the UFO video was on the FAA website and other UFO reporting organizations registered complaints.

BAASS and MUFON: a hybrid partnership under review – the thesis

According to one report of the hybrid partnership for UFO and extraterrestrial research between for-profit BAASS and non-profit, volunteer-driven MUFON, “The agreement between Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) and MUFON sets up a “Star Team Impact Project” (SIP), with an initial funding period from five months to a year, with the option to renew for a second year. Investigations will be limited to cases where physical effects of a UFO are reported or where ‘living beings’ are allegedly sighted or where ‘reality transformation’ is said to occur. ‘Lights seen in the sky’ do not qualify for paid investigation, a decision with which [UFO researcher J. Allen] Hynek would have surely agreed. Anyone who is already a MUFON investigator can apply for a position with SIP, although new or inexperienced investigators are expected to demonstrate their skills by performing investigations of routine UFO sightings before moving up to SIP. Additionally, Bigelow is in the process of contracting up to fifty scientists, who are expected to be on the scene within twenty-four hours after significant UFO incidents, to perform state-of-the-art investigations of whatever artifacts or data the SIP investigators may obtain. All of the investigators’ travel expenses will be covered, as well as a paid stipend of $100 per day of investigation. Incentive payments and bonuses are also available for those whose contributions excel.”

Follow the money – the antithesis

Both BAASS’s Dr. Kelleher and MUFON’s Mark Easter stated to this reporter that Star Impact Project operations and communication in this hybrid relationship between BAASS and MUFON under their agreement were good in 2009, and both hope for good relations in 2010.  The BAASS-MUFON hybrid agreement is now under temporary suspension pending after a review.  Both BAASS’s Dr. Kelleher and MUFON’s Mark Easter appear to positive and upbeat about the success of the “Star Team Impact Project” (SIP) model experiment, and to hope that the BAASS-MUFON agreement is renewed at the conclusion of the review.

On examination of confidential BAASS-MUFON documents that were anonymously leaked to this reporter, it is clear that a clash of corporate and non-profit cultures and lack of mutual communication framework between an accounting-oriented corporate contractor and a mission-driven volunteer organization – rather than any wrong action - triggered the temporary suspension and review of the hybrid arrangement that parties in both organizations seem to want to continue.

Neither BAASS’s Dr. Kelleher nor MUFON’s Mark Easter wished to comment on the leaked BAASS-MUFON documents.  On review of these documents, it would seem that specific BAASS and MUFON executives used apocalyptic language when instead third-party foundation counseling sessions for BAASS and MUFON might have avoided an unnecessary suspension. For example, in a January 19, 2010 letter to MUFON, Dr. Kelleher stated, “Due to the evidence of financial mismanagement quoted above, BAASS has lost confidence in the ability of MUFON to continue into the future as well as providing the future deliverables for which BAASS has contracted.”

In an equally apocalyptic response, for example, former MUFON international director James Carrion stated in a January 26, 2010 resignation letter, “BAASS illegally modified their own contract in June 2009, and when I pointed this out to the Board, the Board’s decision was to maintain the relationship with no legally binding contract in place. Since that day, BAASS has dictated its terms to MUFON and you have caved in to their every demand. Despite the fact that Mr. Bigelow agreed that all left over monies belonged to MUFON, the Board decided that it had to be spent as BAASS wanted it to be spent. When I submitted a PR plan for spending the money, BAASS took the strategy of not sending any monthly checks so that all BAASS related expenses over the November 2009 – January 2010 period would deplete the funds left in the BAASS checking account. I predicted this would happen and it has and now MUFON is left with no money in the bank. Is it not obvious to you that BAASS simply does not want MUFON to have either increased infrastructure or long term viability? You have become so enamored of this relationship with BAASS that you have been willing to sacrifice one of your own in the process. That is despicable. My loyalty to MUFON has been unwavering and unimpeachable but this is where it stops. I will no longer be affiliated with what used to be an honorable organization that I once believed in and gave my heart and soul to.”

The future of a hybrid relationship – the synthesis

MUFON’s Mark Easter pointedly stated, “I want to deal with the big picture – the level that Dr. Kelleher discussed with you.  The BAASS – MUFON program is a good program.  BAASS did not want to manage MUFON and MUFON did not want to manage BAASS.  The only issue was an accounting issue.”

Mr. Easter stated, “The best outcome would be for the BAASS-MUFON relationship to get back on track.”

Mr. Easter continued, “MUFON has a computerized case management UFO reporting system now.  To MUFON volunteers who are ready to be on 24 hour standby in this economy, the BAASS-MUFON agreement is a God-send.”

To this reporter, Mark Easter’s case for BAASS-MUFON resurrection seems a reasonable one.