Record 209 · September 2023
Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Team Final Report
NASA · United States
Ledger illustration of the record — not a scan of the original paper. — Night Ledger illustration of the file
The report recommends that NASA play a prominent role in a whole-of-government effort to understand UAP by leveraging its scientific expertise, Earth-observing assets, commercial partnerships, and data analysis capabilities. It notes that current UAP detection is often serendipitous with sensors not designed for the purpose and lacking comprehensive metadata. The team emphasizes the need for a systematic, evidence-based, stigma-free approach rooted in the scientific method, including potential use of crowdsourced smartphone data and improved calibration of observations. The report does not review or assess specific past UAP incidents or make conclusions about their origins; instead, it focuses on how better data can be acquired and analyzed in the future to advance scientific understanding. It states that NASA is uniquely positioned to contribute to rigorous study of UAP while advancing its broader mission of scientific knowledge.
Public file: NASA
