40:
409:
In June 2020, Bigelow founded the
Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies (BICS) to support investigations into life after death. In January 2021, the institute put up an award of US$ 1 million asking for essays arguing for existence of a life after death. The institute awarded the first-place $
219:
In his real estate career, Bigelow built approximately 15,000 units and purchased another 8,000. For most of his career, "he held on to almost everything he bought, but ... eventually unload[ed] much of his housing stock in the boom years immediately before the
187:
At age 12, Bigelow decided that his future lay in space travel. Despite his limitations in mathematics, he resolved to choose a career that would make him rich enough that, one day, he could hire the scientific expertise required to launch his own space program.
429:
They had two children together, Robert
Michael "Bobby" Bigelow, and Rod Lee Bigelow. In 1992, Rod Lee Bigelow died by suicide, aged 24. In 2011, Robert Bigelow's grandson, Rod Lee Bigelow II, died by suicide, having suffered from drug addiction.
453:
candidacy for governor of Nevada. Campaign finance experts believe this may be the most a single donor has spent on a statewide race in modern history. In
January 2024 he stated in an interview that he had donated to
236:, an extended-stay apartment chain founded in 1987. It caters to budget travelers needing to stay for an extended period. Its rooms are primarily suites featuring a full kitchen. Budget Suites owns three hotels in
1522:
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space destinations. In
October 2017, Bigelow announced that he planned to put an inflatable "space hotel" into orbit by 2022. The plan was part of a partnership with
326:
In March 2020, Bigelow
Aerospace laid off all 88 members of staff and halted operations after over 20 years of business, in a move that was partially caused by the
294:
In 2013, Bigelow indicated that the reason he went into the commercial real estate business was to obtain the requisite resources to be able to fund a team
1327:
302:, and the project was estimated to cost US$ 2.3 billion in total. The cost of a 3-day stay in this spatial hotel was estimated at 5 million dollars.
458:, "I gave him $ 1 million towards his legal fees a few weeks ago. I made a promise to give him $ 20 million more, that will be to the super PAC….”
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reports, ultimately attributing the latter to secretive advanced aircraft operated by the military. The institute was disbanded in 2004.
1567:
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372:, a 512-acre (205 ha) cattle ranch located in Utah that is the site of purported paranormal phenomena, such as inter-dimensional
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In March 2021, he sued NASA for US$ 1.05 million, alleging he was not paid according to contract for product testing and development.
639:
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401:, Bigelow said he was “absolutely convinced” that extraterrestrial life exists and that extraterrestrials have visited Earth.
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in 2007, and had planned for full-scale space habitats to be used as orbital hotels, research labs and factories.
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854:"Beware Vermicious Knids: A US billionaire wants to launch an inflatable space hotel into lunar orbit by 2022"
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Diane
Bigelow died on February 19, 2020, of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
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On
February 4, 1965, he married Diane Mona Grammy (April 9, 1947 – February 19, 2020) of Camden, New Jersey.
181:
776:
224:". In 2013, Bigelow reflected on this: "People just really wanted to throw money away, so that was lucky."
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1272:"Las Vegas hotel mogul Robert Bigelow spends nearly $ 50 million to support Lombardo, other Republicans"
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Rocketeers: how a visionary band of business leaders, engineers and pilots is boldly privatizing space
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This article is about the hotel and aerospace entrepreneur. For the basketball player, see
1356:"Las Vegas billionaire in big leagues bankrolling GOP campaigns - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper"
8:
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1300:"Birth of a mega-donor: Big DeSantis check part of surge in giving by Robert Bigelow"
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Bigelow had indicated he planned to spend up to US$ 500 million to develop the first
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376:, for $ 200,000. In 2016, Bigelow sold the ranch to Brandon Fugal for $ 4 million.
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890:"NASA Cargo Headed to Space Station Includes Habitat Prototype, Medical Research"
475:"Las Vegas High School Alumni Association: Robert Thomas Bigelow - Class of 1962"
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candidates. In July 2022, he donated $ 10 million to
Florida Republican Governor
1332:
1328:"Ron DeSantis's Biggest Donor Is a Budget Hotel Tycoon With a Passion for UFOs"
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393:, a government study which operated from 2007 to 2012 tasked with the study of
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1245:"Nevada billionaire Bigelow opens wallet to back GOP causes here, across U.S."
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749:"Bigelow Aerospace; Russian Dnepr rocket to launch a 1/3-scale Genesis model"
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Is there life after death? Businessman offers nearly $ 1 million to find out
722:
1408:"Exclusive: Hotelier Robert Bigelow gives Trump $ 1 million for legal fees"
1304:
1104:"Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious U.F.O. Program"
1062:"Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious U.F.O. Program"
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mission. Bigelow
Aerospace has launched two experimental space modules,
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Cooper, Helene; Blumenthal, Ralph; Kean, Leslie (December 16, 2017).
1060:
Cooper, Helene; Blumenthal, Ralph; Kean, Leslie (December 16, 2017).
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281:
169:
513:"Money Backing the Private Space Industry... Part 3--Robert Bigelow"
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American chief executives of travel and tourism industry companies
195:, in 1962 to study banking and real estate, and he graduated from
1218:"Proving there is life after death, or not, could win you $ 500K"
668:"Nevadan at work: To the moon and beyond for Las Vegas developer"
354:
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39:
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The 37th
Parallel: The Secret Truth Behind America's UFO Highway
539:
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245:
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Robert Bigelow comments on $ 1.05 million lawsuit against NASA
1155:"Essay Contest - Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies"
831:
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500,000 prize to Jeffrey Mishlove, the second-place prize to
148:
Bigelow has provided financial support for investigations of
1381:"Top DeSantis Donor Says He'll Put Fortune Behind 2024 Bid"
893:
1455:"Robert Bigelow aims high—a private fleet of space taxis"
872:
Will a space hotel actually be open for business in 2027?
394:
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From the late 1960s through the 1990s, Bigelow developed
149:
984:"Silent Running: 'Black Triangle' Sightings on the Rise"
137:(born May 12, 1944) is an American businessman. He owns
271:
with a goal of the station costing 33% of the US$ 1.5
184:, about 70 miles (100 km) northwest of the city.
822:"Bigelow's second orbital module launches into space"
441:
Bigelow has made political donations to conservative
1101:
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630:"Robert Bigelow plans a real estate empire in space"
1326:Smith, Michael; Allison, Bill (October 25, 2022).
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1270:Golonka, Sean; Snyder, Riley (October 25, 2022).
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391:Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program
1177:
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820:Malik, Tariq; David, Leonard (June 28, 2007).
661:
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379:In December 2017, Bigelow was reported by the
1269:
1153:Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies.
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915:"Bigelow Aerospace lays off entire workforce"
138:
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1036:"Robert Bigelow: Is There Life After Death?"
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1159:Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies
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345:to fund the research and study of various
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1440:"Bigelow's aerospace and saucer emporium"
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1453:Kushner, David (January–February 2011).
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961:. Victoria, British Columbia: Trafford.
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404:
343:National Institute for Discovery Science
1452:
1083:"The Pentagon's Secret Search for UFOs"
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796:. New York: Smithsonian Books. p.
665:
593:
117: 1965; died 2020)
1538:American businesspeople in real estate
1495:
1297:
1080:
1034:Blumenthal, Ralph (January 21, 2021).
851:
568:Blumenthal, Ralph (January 24, 2021).
156:topics, including the continuation of
1406:Ulmer, Alexandra (January 30, 2024).
1405:
981:
956:
888:Northon, Karen, ed. (April 8, 2016).
694:Hennigan, W. J. (November 26, 2010).
529:
336:
1513:21st-century American businesspeople
1508:20th-century American businesspeople
1354:Harrison, Casey (October 28, 2022).
1243:Harrison, Casey (October 24, 2022).
982:David, Leonard (September 2, 2004).
666:Robison, Jennifer (March 10, 2013).
1081:Bender, Bryan (December 16, 2017).
510:
13:
1428:
959:Ufology: A Very Short Introduction
747:De Keyser, Sigurd (June 4, 2006).
696:"NASA pushes for a green jetliner"
628:Higginbotham, Adam (May 2, 2013).
14:
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1568:University of Nevada, Reno alumni
1518:American aerospace businesspeople
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852:Haslet, Emma (October 19, 2017).
570:"Buying a peek at the hereafter"
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16:American businessman (born 1944)
1543:Arizona State University alumni
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1298:Wieder, Ben (October 3, 2022).
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414:, and the third-place prize to
275:that NASA expended on a single
216:hotels, motels and apartments.
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80:Arizona State University, Tempe
757:International Space Fellowship
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357:. The organization researched
207:
1:
1553:Businesspeople from Las Vegas
1463:. Art. no. 73. Archived from
1190:"OBITUARY Diane Mona Bigelow"
461:
341:In 1995, Bigelow founded the
182:Nevada National Security Site
163:
389:to initiate what became the
255:
7:
1563:Republicans (United States)
1448:. Vol. 33, no. 4.
368:In 1996, Bigelow purchased
311:International Space Station
10:
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788:Belfiore, Michael (2007).
723:"Budget Suites of America"
193:University of Nevada, Reno
76:University of Nevada, Reno
18:
1528:American company founders
610:– via Google Books.
511:Pat (February 11, 2007).
305:In April 2016, Bigelow's
260:In 1999, Bigelow founded
202:
158:consciousness after death
124:
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673:Las Vegas Review-Journal
269:commercial space station
234:Budget Suites of America
228:Budget Suites of America
197:Arizona State University
139:Budget Suites of America
492:"Nevada Marriage Index"
437:Political contributions
1277:The Nevada Independent
600:. Simon and Schuster.
385:to have urged Senator
321:cargo resupply mission
300:United Launch Alliance
214:commercial real estate
141:and is the founder of
753:Space Fellowship News
594:Mezrich, Ben (2016).
405:Consciousness studies
353:topics, most notably
178:nuclear weapons tests
135:Robert Thomas Bigelow
54:Robert Thomas Bigelow
1438:(July–August 2009).
957:Dorio, Mark (2005).
727:www.budgetsuites.com
397:. According to the
328:coronavirus pandemic
309:was launched to the
1194:dignitymemorial.com
191:He enrolled in the
168:Bigelow grew up in
1533:American hoteliers
1467:on March 21, 2019.
1445:Skeptical Inquirer
1224:. January 22, 2021
1108:The New York Times
1040:The New York Times
870:Mark Whittington,
337:Anomalies research
250:San Antonio, Texas
1548:Bigelow Aerospace
1479:Bigelow Institute
1143:, 23 January 2021
1010:"Cosmic Landlord"
806:978-0-06-114903-0
701:Los Angeles Times
607:978-1-5011-3552-1
535:"Cosmic Landlord"
517:The Space Monitor
359:cattle mutilation
262:Bigelow Aerospace
242:Las Vegas, Nevada
154:parapsychological
143:Bigelow Aerospace
132:
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104:Diane Mona Grammy
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1436:Sheaffer, Robert
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1387:. April 21, 2023
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1161:. Archived from
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921:. March 23, 2020
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638:. Archived from
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533:(June 8, 2011).
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238:Phoenix, Arizona
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1165:on June 1, 2023
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878:, 14 March 2021
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1473:External links
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1465:the original
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1415:. Retrieved
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1337:. Retrieved
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