Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Independent Study Team Report

NASA, Thursday, September 14, 2023

Members of the NASA Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Team

Front and back cover photos: views of the earth as photographed from the Earth-orbital Apollo 4 unmanned space mission. All photos are from NASA unless otherwise indicated.

Group Photo: Members of the NASA Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Team.
Group Photo: Members of the NASA Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Team.
This is a type of lightning known as a red sprite — a phenomenon that has rarely been photographed in this amount of detail. Some thunderstorms produce sprites, but most do not. Photo credit: Stephane Vetter (TWAN)
This is a type of lightning known as a red sprite — a phenomenon that has rarely been photographed in this amount of detail. Some thunderstorms produce sprites, but most do not. Photo credit: Stephane Vetter (TWAN)
An orbital sunrise photographed by an Expedition 40 crew member on the International Space Station.
An orbital sunrise photographed by an Expedition 40 crew member on the International Space Station.
FRAMEWORK OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Although AARO leads the whole-of-government response to UAP, the panel recommends that NASA play an essential role within that framework. NASA should leverage its core capabilities and expertise to determine whether it should take a leading or supporting role in implementing a given recommendation.

ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT

This report is organized as follows. We present a systematic response to the eight charge elements that formed the Terms of Reference that NASA provided to the Independent Study Team, followed by a detailed set of conclusions and recommendations. These responses stemmed from a series of sub-panel reports that the entire team deliberated in full at the public meeting held on May 31, 2023, all of which are included as work products toward the end of this report for full public transparency.

The spectacular aurora borealis, or the “northern lights,” over Canada is sighted from the space station near the highest point of its orbital path.
The spectacular aurora borealis, or the “northern lights,” over Canada is sighted from the space station near the highest point of its orbital path.
A meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower.
A meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower.
A weather balloon sails into the sky after release from the Cape Canaveral weather station in Florida.
A weather balloon sails into the sky after release from the Cape Canaveral weather station in Florida.
This NASA Space Shuttle STS-100 image captures naturally occuring von Karman vortices forming in clouds near Rishiri-to island in Japan, caused by a stable, low-cloud atmosphere flowing over a tall obstacle.
This NASA Space Shuttle STS-100 image captures naturally occuring von Karman vortices forming in clouds near Rishiri-to island in Japan, caused by a stable, low-cloud atmosphere flowing over a tall obstacle.
Sunset over the Indian Ocean, photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member on the International Space Station.
Sunset over the Indian Ocean, photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member on the International Space Station.