Description
Bigelow Aerospace is an American aeronautics and outer space technology company which manufactures and develops expandable space station modules. Bigelow Aerospace was founded by Robert Bigelow in 1998, and is based in North Las Vegas, Nevada. It is funded in large part by the profit Bigelow gained through his ownership of the hotel chain, Budget Suites of America.
By 2013, Bigelow had invested US$250 million in the company. Bigelow stated on a number of occasions that he was prepared to fund Bigelow Aerospace with about US$500 million through 2015 in order to achieve launch of full-scale hardware.
Bigelow Aerospace announced in 2010 that they intended to create a modular set of space habitats for creating or expanding space stations. The company built two unmanned free-flying prototypes that flew in 2006 and 2007 and a module attached to the International Space Station.
In March 2020, the company laid off all 88 of its employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and planned to rehire staff when conditions permitted. As of October 2023 the company remains dormant and is often considered defunct.
