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In the 1800s, the property of Biosphere 2 was part of the Samaniego CDO Ranch.
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After several changes of ownership, it became a conference center in the 1960s for Motorola
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After being used as a conference center for Motorola, the Biosphere 2 property was bought by the University of Arizona for the same purpose.
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Space Biospheres Ventures bought the property in 1984 and began construction of the current facility in 1986 to research and develop self-sustaining space-colonization technology.
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Two missions, between 1991 and 1994, sealed Biospherians inside the glass enclosure to measure survivability. They were testing to see if humans could survive 2 years alone inside of the Biosphere 2, a facility designed to mimic the earth's ecosytems.
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In 1994, Decisions Investments Corporation assumed control of the property and Columbia University managed it from 1996-2003 and reconfigured the structure for a different mode of scientific research
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The property was sold to CDO Ranching and its development partners who then leased the property to UA from 2007-2011