Originally published by Mashable
OnGemini 7’s second lap around Earth, as the spacecraft glided over the Caribbean Sea, astronaut Frank Borman glanced outside and radioed a deadpan report: “We have a bogey at 10 o’clock high.”
That moment in 1965 passed, folded intoNASA’s growing pile of strange-yet-seemingly-innocuousspaceoddities. But President Donald Trump’s newUFO filessuggest it never really left the government’s imagination.
Therelease, published May 8 through a new government archive forunidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs, pulls together records from NASA, the FBI, and several intelligence agencies. UAP is Washington’s new catch-all for UFOs and other odd events that officials can’t immediately explain. The administration says more files will arrive in rolling batches ona new websiteover the coming weeks. Its white-on-black typeset and grainy military photos add a nostalgicX-Filesflair.
Astronauts have always carried unusual weight in UFO lore. They are trained observers, steeped in checklists and telemetry, but also symbols of humanity’s push into the unknown. So when astronauts reported strange lights, drifting objects, or puzzling events in orbit, those accounts tended to stick — even when later investigations pointed to equipment glitches,space junk, or natural occurrences.
The newly released records don’t prove extraterrestrial life exists, and officials repeatedly caution that many cases remain unresolved simply because investigators never collected enough data to reach a firm conclusion.
“I applaud President Trump’s whole-of-government effort to bring greater transparency to the American people on unidentified anomalous phenomena,” NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. “We will remain candid about what we know to be true, what we have yet to understand, and all that remains to be discovered. Exploration and the pursuit of knowledge are core to NASA’s mission as we endeavor to unlock the secrets of the universe.”
NASA astronauts repeatedly reported strange sights during missions to themoonand aboardthe United States’ first space station, according to newly highlighted material in the files. The records include astronaut transcripts, crew debriefings, an audio recording, and annotated photographs, spanning missions from Gemini 7 in 1965 through Skylab in the 1970s.
Gemini 7 astronauts reported a ‘bogey’ in orbit
During theGemini 7mission in 1965, astronautFrank Borman radioed mission controlto report what he called a “bogey,” a military term for an unidentified aircraft. Borman and astronaut Jim Lovell also described a cloud of particles drifting near their spacecraft. Lovell later described a bright object that he saw against the darkness of space. Handwritten notes attached to the transcript labeled the event a “UFO sighting by Borman.”
Apollo 11 crew spotted lights on the way to the moon
Apollo 11astronauts described several unusual observations during the first human moon landing mission in 1969.
Buzz Aldrin told debriefers the crew saw a large object while en route to the moon and examined it with a monocular. The astronauts speculated it may have been part of theSaturn V rocket. Aldrin also described repeated flashes of light inside the spacecraft cabin. He later reported seeing a bright light the crew tentativelyidentified as a laserduring their return to Earth.
Apollo 12 astronauts watched drifting glowing particles
Apollo 12astronauts reported multiple unexplained sightings during their 1969 mission.
Alan Bean described seeing particles and flashes of light “sailing off in space” while using the spacecraft’s optical telescope. Commander Pete Conrad later described illuminated debris floating outside the lunar module before the light source suddenly disappeared.
The archive also includes several Apollo 12 photographs marked with highlighted “areas of interest” above the lunar horizon.
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Apollo 17 crew described mysterious objects
Back in 1972,Apollo 17astronauts reported some of the most detailed observations in the archive.
Ronald Evans described bright particles tumbling near the spacecraft, while Harrison Schmitt compared the scene to “the Fourth of July.” Commander Eugene Cernan later reported intense flashing lights that appeared bright enough to resemble a train headlight. Schmitt also reported seeing a flash on the lunar surface near Grimaldi crater.
Another Apollo 17 image in the archive shows three unexplained dots in a triangular formation. Government analysts havereopened the caseand obtained the original film for further study, according to the file.
Skylab crews repeatedly saw flashes
Astronauts aboardSkylab, America’s first space station, documented unexplained sightings in 1973 and 1974.
One crew saw frequent light flashes while trying to sleep. Another tracked a bright reddish object for several minutes, eventually concluding it moved in an orbit similar to Skylab’s. A later crew reportedflashing lightsoutside the station moving independently of the spacecraft, though astronauts suspected the objects may have been debris or satellites.
TopicsDonald TrumpNASA
Elisha Sauers writes about space for Mashable, taking deep dives intoNASA’s moon and Mars missions, chatting upastronautsand history-makingdiscoverers, and jettingabove the clouds. Through 17 years of reporting, she’s covered a variety of topics, including health, business, and government, with a penchant for public records requests. She previously worked forThe Virginian-Pilotin Norfolk, Virginia, andThe Capitalin Annapolis, Maryland. Her work has earned numerous state awards, including the Virginia Press Association’s top honor,Best in Show, andnational recognitionfor narrative storytelling. For each year she has covered space, Sauers has wonNational Headliner Awards, including first place for herSex in Spaceseries. Send space tips and story ideas to[email protected]or text 443-684-2489. Follow her on X at@elishasauers.
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