Introduction
As early as 13 September 2008 Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies was advertising jobs which are directly related to the AAWSA. I have identified at least four individuals who were employed as investigators (one as "senior investigator/Team Leader;" (employed January 2009) ; two as "field investigators; (one from January 2009 the other from May 2009); and one as "investigator/security officer" (from June 2009.)
I explored the Internet looking for some evidence that these field investigators for BAASS actually conducted UFO investigations.
Taking a step back
The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) after negotiations with Robert Bigelow and BAASS, entered into a joint contract to work together. There were two main results arising from this. Firstly, that BAASS was given access to the MUFON CMS UFO reports database; and secondly that MUFON formed their STAR group. An individual named Richard Lang acted as the STAR Team Manager between February 2009 and January 2010.
In a 6 March 2011 blog post Lang provided detailed information about the relationship between BAASS and MUFON.
"The STAR Team Impact Project (SIP) was a MUFON project funded in part by Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) where MUFON was subcontracted to provide information from the CMS data base (website) and witness reports related to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) directly to BAASS."
"BAASS investigators were given full access ( password and user ID) to the CMS database, in all cases where the witness answered "Yes" to the "third party release question" BAASS personnel and investigators could see all case information in CMS including witness contact information."
"MUFON also provided data to BAASS about significant events that were reported in CMS."
In short, BAASS were able to monitor almost all of the reports being received by MUFON CMS; had access to witness contact details, and could undertake their own investigations into any of the cases which they deemed of interest to them.
So, to critics who maintain that the AAWSA program was not about investigating UFO reports, the answer is, that it was. From the dates obtained from LinkedIn profiles there was at least, a team leader,/senior investigator and a field investigator in place with BAASS by January 2009. The arrangement with MUFON came into place from February 2009.
A BAASS field investigation in 2009
On 25 November 2009, an anonymous male was driving a four door sedan on the Port Jervis area of Orange County, in the state of New York, in the USA. He reported seeing strange lights in the sky, then it became a cigar shaped object with five lights across it. The object was moving slowly and rotating clockwise. It was gun grey metal in colour, and made s a sound like a "purring cat."
As the object passed directly over the car, the car's electrical functions failed, including the electric windows which did not work when he tried to open the windows. His cell phone also failed to function. The lights on the object turned off and his car suddenly was running again. He was unable to say if the object left or the lights just turned off. He later reported his observation to MUFON by phone, who were on the scene within two days.
MUFON STAR team members Chuck Modlin and Vicki LeBlanc investigated. Later, Richard Lang and and Chuck Modlin conducted a second interview. "Using a tri-field meter near the vehicle, a 2009 4-door sedan, the meter maxed out indicating a very strong magnetic field."
Comparisons were made of the affected car's magnetic signature with that of car of an identical make and model, but this control car did not register any significant electrostatic , or electromagnetic fields. "In a follow up investigation 20 days later, the fields were still present but had dissipated by approximately 60%."
In a blog piece dated 1 March 2018, Australian researcher Bill Chalker, who had been looking into this case, says that "Bigelow was keen to buy the car involved, but I gather the witness did not want to part with it....The Port Jervis case is a striking example of a case that might yield possible 'disruptive technological breakthroughs.' Yet it seems that the details of this may have been passed on to BAASS, rather than being a part of the public MUFON report."
A BAASS field investigation in 2010
"Gary Hernandez, field investigator with Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies, is interested in follow-up studies on the Capri UFO reports."
"We have a highly sophisticated system of investigative tools that can help led insight into strange phenomena such as those seen by the residents in your area." Hernandez said in a telephone conversation on May 13.
"I was down in your area several years ago investigating similar sightings, and would very much like to return and speak with eyewitnesses there now," Hernandez said.
"I'll do my best to objectively research and investigate each occurrence and gather as much supporting information to come to a potential conclusion." Hernandez wrote in an e-mail on May 13.
"Hernandez said he did not agree with MUFON's conclusion that the photo captured by the Isles of Capri Fire/Rescue Department's webcam was likely the moon setting."
A second BAASS field investigation in 2010
In a blog post dated 27 January 2015, an individual named Michael Lee Hill advised that an investigator from BAASS contacted him in 2010 concerning sightings in the Lake Erie area.
"In August of 2010, Hernandez sent a message on Michael's Face Book page, inquiring what Michael knew about the Eastlake UFOs."
"In November, curiously enough, Investigator Hernandez, in a face book message I have in my possession, told Michael there were certain things he couldn't tell him due to the nature of a contract Hernandez had signed..."
Another individual named Eugene Ehrlikh filmed lights over Lake Erie, but MUFON suggested they were aircraft. On 8 April 2010, Ehrlikh reportedly received a telephone call from someone who identified themselves as an investigator from BAASS. Hill identifies them as being Hernandez and goes on the say that Hernandez believed the lights were of extra-terrestrial origin.
LinkedIn profile
I looked in LinkedIn and found a Gary Hernandez whose profile in part says:
"Field Investigator
Bigelow Advanced Space Studies
Jan 2009 - February 2010 1 yr 6mos
CONUS/OCONUS
CLASSIFIED INVESTIGATIONS."
It should be noted that although details available on the Isles Of Capri sightings mention Hernandez's involvement on 13 May 2010; and his involvement in the Lake Erie sightings as being on 8 April 2010 and August 2010, Hernandez's LinkedIn profile states he was employed by BAASS only between January 2009 and February 2010. These sets of information can not be reconciled. By February 2010 Hernandez himself, says he was not working for BAASS.
In summary
A number of UFO investigations were reportedly undertaken by BAASS field investigators, after BAASS received the AAWSA contract.
I would welcome hearing from any reader who may be add to the above.
Keith, you are on target. A major purpose of BAASS was to investigate UFOs in hopes for obtaining some type of technological information.
ReplyDeleteI was involved in Star Team investigations during this time period. I flew to Kansas City in 2009 for an investigation of an interesting case. I was there within 72 hours of the sighting. When I talked to the witnesses, I found out that they had already been contacted on the phone by people from BAASS, so they definitely had access to the MUFON database.
not that you care as you censored my comments in your other Blog, but I meet with Gary Hernandez and he openly told me everything. Was extremely eye opening what he shared with me.
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