Declassified Apollo Mission Files Detail Astronaut UFO Sightings

Newly declassified government files from NASA’s Apollo missions include astronaut accounts of unusual visual phenomena observed during lunar flights. The records detail sightings of flashes of light, drifting particles and distant objects, offering additional context to events that have been cited in long-running conspiracy theories alleging the Moon landings were staged.

Astronauts described the observations while communicating with Mission Control during routine navigation updates, system checks and maneuver planning. In Apollo 17 transcripts, crew members reported seeing "very bright particles or fragments" near the spacecraft.

They discussed possible explanations, including debris such as ice, paint or components from the Saturn V rocket. Apollo 12 transcripts contain similar accounts in which astronauts described "particles of light" and later considered whether they were observing debris illuminated by onboard equipment.

In a separate Apollo 17 exchange, an astronaut reported seeing a brief flash on the lunar surface near the Grimaldi crater. Mission Control asked the crew to identify the location on a map.

The files contain previously unpublished material from the missions, including astronaut transcripts and archival imagery. They cover flights that began with the Apollo 11 Moon landing on July 20, 1969. Officials have said the documents reflect observations made at the time.

The records form part of a broader federal effort to release materials related to unidentified anomalous phenomena. Additional materials are expected to be released on a rolling basis.