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That brings us to the other main character in the Times story and involves following the money (as with all things in the government). Where did the $22M budget for the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program go? Most of it went to Robert Bigelow, who the NY Times only lists as a billionaire friend of Harry Reid’s. The article also mentions a meeting out at Bigelow’s ranch, which sounds normal enough, right? But that ranch is actually very famous in the paranormal fandom world and goes by another name… It’s Skinwalker Ranch. The place is legendary and Bigelow went after...

NASA on Saturday successfully expanded and pressurized an add-on room at the International Space Station two days after aborting the first attempt when it ran into problems.

Expandable, inflatable habitats could bring about a quiet revolution in space exploration, and the BEAM is leading that revolution. Because it’s much more compact and much lighter than rigid steel and aluminum structures, the cost of building them and launching them into space is much lower. The benefits of lower costs for building them and launching them are obvious. NASA first announced plans to test the BEAM back in 2013. They awarded a $17.8 million contract to Bigelow Aerospace to provide the expandable module, with the idea of testing it for a two-year period. When the contract was announced, NASA...

NASA has taken another step toward returning America’s ability to launch crew missions to the International Space Station from the United States in 2017. The Commercial Crew Program ordered its first crew rotation mission from The Boeing Company. SpaceX, which successfully performed a pad abort test of its flight vehicle earlier this month, is expected to receive its first order later this year. Determination of which company will fly its mission to the station first will be made at a later time. The contract calls for the orders to take place prior to certification to support the lead time necessary...

The FAA’s Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) has given thumbs-up regarding private sector operations on the Moon.

WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded a $17.8 million contract to Bigelow Aerospace to provide a new addition to the International Space Station. The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module will demonstrate the benefits of this space habitat technology for future exploration and commercial space endeavors. "The International Space Station is a unique laboratory that enables important discoveries that benefit humanity and vastly increase understanding of how humans can live and work in space for long periods," NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver said. "This partnership agreement for the use of expandable habitats represents a step forward in cutting-edge technology that can allow humans...

I decided to go check out the movie for myself thanks to the ringing endorsement by Senators Feinstein, Levin, and McCain: “I thought it was terrible,” said Feinstein, one of a handful of lawmakers to see the film ahead of its limited release this week. “It is a combination of fact, fiction and Hollywood in a very dangerous combination.” Despite concerns on the right that the movie was serving as a political propaganda piece for Team Obama, in actuality, the movie is rather apolitical, playing it pretty much straight down the middle. The movie does its best to avoid political...

If anyone worried that Kathryn Bigelow’s movie about the killing of Osama bin Laden would be a political statement promoting Barack Obama they can relax. Bigelow and Mark Boal have made a very focused and harrowing thriller that centers on the real life female CIA agent who was obsessed with catching and killing bin Laden.

Full title: Judicial Watch Obtains ‘4 to 5 inch Stack’ of ‘Overlooked’ CIA Records Detailing Meetings with bin Laden Filmmakers Obama Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications: Obama White House ‘trying to have visibility into the UBL (Usama bin Laden) projects.’ (Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it has obtained records from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Department of Defense (DOD) regarding meetings and communications between government agencies and Kathryn Bigelow, the Academy Award-winning director of The Hurt Locker, and screenwriter Mark Boal in preparation for their film Zero Dark Thirty, which details the capture...

The records – which should have been produced months ago pursuant to a court order in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed on January 21, 2012 – include records from a “stack” of “overlooked” documents discovered by the CIA in July 2012. [...] “These new documents provide more backing to the serious charge that the Obama administration played fast and loose with national security information to help Hollywood filmmakers,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “No wonder we’ve had to fight one year of stonewalling from the administration. These new documents show there is no doubt that Obama...

Starting with her stunning 1987 debut, "Near Dark," for two decades Bigelow was a true iconoclast, a woman director making some of the most masculine action films of her time and making them in her own way. Finally, it all comes together for her with "The Hurt Locker," and … she joins the club. Maybe she hasn't seen "The Lives of Others." Maybe someone needs to sit her down and explain that as of right now she's the pre-arc playwright shilling for the State in exchange for access, riches, adoration, and acclaim. The only thing worse than those who use...

In January, the Pentagon began investigating whether the White House had shared classified information with Kathryn Bigelow, director of an upcoming film about the search for Osama bin Laden. Now, conservative watchdog organization Judicial Watch has obtained records that reveal President Obama’s Defense Department did provide Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal access to high-level information and resources — including a “planner, Operator and Commander” of the Navy SEAL team that successfully captured and killed bin Laden last year. A Department of Defense meeting

Judicial Watch filed a freedom of information request for documents pertaining to the possible leak of the information relating to the killing of Osama bin Laden to a Hollywood producer in August 2011. The administration has yet to cough up the information, so Judicial Watch is suing them. The DOD admitted receiving the FOIA request on August 22, 2011, but advised Judicial Watch that “at this time, we are unable to make a release determination on your request within twenty (20) working days” of August 9, which would have been by September 6, 2011. The CIA acknowledged receiving the FOIA...

Rep. Peter King said Thursday that the Defense Department has launched an investigation into whether its personnel leaked information to producers for a film — to be directed by Academy Award winner Kathryn Bigelow — on the May 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden. King, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, previously called for a probe to look into any sort of cooperation between federal agencies and producers for the movie, which at the time had been scheduled for an October release — a month before the elections. “The leaks that followed the successful bin Laden mission led to...

Adolf Hilter had a personal film director, Leni Riefenstahl, who made heroic films about him as propaganda for the masses. Now Obama has his own propaganda film director, Kathryn Bigelow of Sony Pictures. She will be making a film about the death of Osama bin Laden to be released by Sony Pictures one month before the election. Bigelow was given special, unprecedented access to the Navy Seals for preparation of this film. To release a film like this just before an election is unheard of in American politics. This is a obvious and arrogant plan to help Obama and to...

BREAKING: Rep. Peter King Asks For Probe Into White House’s Role in Bin Laden Movie Posted By Hollywoodland On August 10, 2011 @ 9:23 am In Featured Story, Military, Politics | 79 Comments Politico: House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King (R-N.Y.) on Wednesday demanded an investigation into a report that the White House is cooperating with a film on the mission to kill Osama bin Laden. In a letter to the Defense Department and the CIA, King asked for a probe and classified briefing about any cooperation or consultation between the agencies and the film, set to be directed by...

A Republican lawmaker accused the Obama administration of jeopardizing national security by cooperating with a Hollywood film project on the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Representative Peter King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, demanded an inquiry after learning of the Pentagon's collaboration with Oscar-winning filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow. "I write to express concern regarding ongoing leaks of classified information regarding sensitive military operations," King wrote in a letter to the inspectors general at the Pentagon and CIA.

Our utter failure of a president is looking to Hollywood for an October 2012 Surprise to save his hopes for a second term. Maureen Dowd says out loud what we all knew the moment the movie’s release date was announced:

It takes a certain degree of boldness—audacity, even—to pioneer a new market, particularly in a capital-intensive, highly-regulated industry like spaceflight. That is, though, what Bigelow Aerospace is doing with its development of inflatable (or, as the company prefers, expandable) habitats. The Las Vegas-based company, bankrolled by founder Robert Bigelow, has developed and launched two subscale prototypes, Genesis 1 and 2, and has plans to launch larger modules in the near future to support applications ranging from commercial research to “rent-a-stations” for governments

Bigelow Aerospace seeks professional astronauts to fill permanent positions. Qualified applicants need to have completed a training program from their government or recognized space agency and have at least some flight experience on a recognized space mission. Specialized training and/or experience (ie: Medical, Payload Specialist, EVA, Pilot, etc.) is not a pre-requisite, but is definitely a plus. Possible opportunities will come in two areas: 1) Ground - Working with Marketing Team to secure government and cooperate clients. - Working with Design and Fabrication Teams to help optimize layout of systems for on-orbit serviceability and ergonomics. - Working with Mission Control...