Former astronaut and current NASA Administrator Charles Bolden says he has been to Area 51.

This mysterious military installation has been a poorly kept secret for decades. In 1989, Bob Lazar came forward with claims that he worked on reverse-engineering alien technology at a secret facility in Nevada called S-4 that was built into a mountainside just south of Area 51’s main site. These assertions are what led to the world’s introduction to Area 51. KLAS investigative reporter George Knapp interviewed Lazar about his claims, and the legend of Area 51 was born.

Lazar’s claims are the catalyst responsible for Area 51’s rise to pop culture prominence.

Bolden recently appeared on Hotseat, a show on Sky News produced by First News, a UK newspaper for young people. During the interview, Bolden admitted, “There is an Area 51.”

It’s surprising how many people still don’t know that Area 51 is a real place.

Although Area 51 has been a staple in sci-fi pop culture for twenty-five years, the secret military installation was only declassified by the CIA in 2013.

“It’s not what many people think,” Bolden continued. “I’ve been to a place called that but it’s a normal research and development place. I never saw any aliens or alien spacecraft or anything when I was there.”

He was also asked if he believes in aliens.

He replied, “I do believe that we will someday find other forms of life or a form of life, if not in our solar system then in some of the other solar systems – the billions of solar systems in the universe.”

Bolden was asked if he is frustrated by conspiracy theorists who believe the Moon landing was faked. “I understand people have doubts,” he replied. “I have no doubts we went to the moon and I have no doubts that we’re going to mars in your lifetime.”