Pentagon releases documents on Apollo 17 unidentified phenomena sightings

Pentagon releases documents on Apollo 17 unidentified phenomena sightings

The U.S. Government has released a collection of files detailing mysterious observations made by astronauts during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The documents, published Friday, May 8, on the website war.gov/UFO, reveal that the crew reported witnessing unidentified phenomena over three consecutive days.

These disclosures are part of a broader effort by the Pentagon to provide transparency regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). The release follows directives from President Donald Trump, who tasked Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and other officials to make public government files concerning unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial life. Hegseth stated the Pentagon is in lockstep with the president to bring unprecedented transparency to the government's understanding of the subject.

Apollo 17 Sightings

The released communication transcripts between the crew and the Johnson Space Center in Houston detail a series of strange events occurring while the astronauts were collecting lunar regolith samples. On the first day, crew member Ronald Evans reported seeing very bright particles or fragments that were drifting and tumbling nearby. Lunar module pilot Harrison Schmitt described the sight as looking like the Fourth of July.

On the second day, commander Eugene Cernan reported seeing some sets of the streaks alongside an intense light flashing between his eyes, which he compared to a train headlight. Within three hours, Cernan observed further flashing and a rotating phenomenon that appeared to correspond with objects in space. By the third day, Schmitt reported a flash on the lunar surface north of the Grimaldi crater.

The astronauts speculated at the time that these sightings might have been separated stages of the Saturn V rocket used to propel them to the moon. Additionally, the Pentagon included a previously released photograph showing three bright lights in a triangle formation above the lunar terrain. While the Pentagon noted there is no consensus about the nature of the anomaly, preliminary analysis suggests the feature is potentially the result of a physical object in the scene.

Reports from Other Early Missions

The Pentagon's release extends beyond Apollo 17, including files from Skylab, Gemini VII, and the Apollo 11 and 12 missions.

• Gemini VII (1965): Transcripts between Jim Lovell and Frank Borman detail a bogey and a debris field. Lovell described a brilliant body in the sun against a black background with trillions of particles on it.
• Apollo 11 (1969): A debriefing dated July 31, 1969, authored by Buzz Aldrin, mentions three sightings during the return trip to Earth. These included an object the crew speculated was the Saturn V launch vehicle, two flashes of light inside the cabin, and a bright light suspected to be a laser.
• Apollo 12 (1969): Voice transcriptions show astronauts reported unidentified phenomena twice. On day 5, Alan Bean described particles and flashes of light sailing off in space and escaping the moon. On day 6, commander Charles Pete Conrad observed floating debris illuminated by the lunar module's tracking light.

The disclosed documents originate from multiple agencies, including NASA, the Energy Department, the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Defense Department’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.

The Preservation of Lunar History

The footprints left by astronauts, including those from Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969, remain on the surface due to the moon's lack of atmosphere, wind, and liquid water.

The lunar regolith—a jagged, interlocking powder created by billions of years of meteorite impacts—holds the shape of boot prints with high fidelity.