Space exploration has always been surrounded by mystery, but when the world’s most trusted professionals—astronauts—report strange encounters, it takes the conversation about aliens to a whole new level. Over the years, several astronauts have shared accounts of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and unexplained phenomena witnessed during missions. While some of these can be explained as technical glitches or space debris, others remain unsolved mysteries that continue to puzzle scientists and the public alike.
This article explores some of the most controversial alien encounters reported by astronauts, what evidence exists, and why these reports are still debated today.
The Nature of UFO Sightings in Space
Before diving into specific astronaut accounts, it’s important to understand the unique environment of space travel. Astronauts operate under extreme conditions, with advanced instruments and constant monitoring. When they report unusual lights, objects, or movements, these cannot be dismissed easily. Unlike casual observers on Earth, astronauts are highly trained professionals with deep knowledge of astronomy and engineering.
This makes their testimonies particularly intriguing when they describe alien-like encounters.
Gordon Cooper – A UFO Whistleblower
One of the earliest astronauts to openly discuss UFOs was Gordon “Gordo” Cooper, a member of NASA’s Mercury and Gemini missions. Cooper claimed to have seen strange objects both during his Air Force career and in orbit.
- In 1951, while flying over Germany, he reported a formation of glowing objects flying at high speeds.
- Later, during his Mercury flight in 1963, Cooper allegedly saw a greenish glowing object approaching his capsule. Ground control also detected something on radar.
NASA’s official records made no mention of these encounters, but Cooper himself continued to insist that UFOs were real and that governments knew more than they revealed.
Buzz Aldrin – The Apollo 11 Anomaly
Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon, has also spoken about unexplained sightings. During the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, Aldrin reported seeing a bright, unidentified object following their spacecraft.
At first, the crew wondered if it might be a panel that had detached from their rocket, but Aldrin later admitted that the object didn’t behave like ordinary space debris. Although NASA attempted to downplay this incident, Aldrin himself has clarified in interviews that what they saw remained unidentified.
This led to endless speculation: was it just a piece of equipment, or something extraterrestrial keeping an eye on humanity’s first steps on the Moon?
The Skylab “Flying Objects”
In the 1970s, astronauts aboard Skylab, America’s first space station, reported unusual flashes of light and objects moving against the starry backdrop. Photographs from Skylab missions even captured strange streaks of light that could not be explained as cosmic rays or camera errors.
Although NASA attributed these to lens reflections or debris, some astronauts insisted they saw structured craft-like objects moving in controlled ways. These sightings were never conclusively explained.
The Mir Space Station Encounters
During the Soviet Union’s Mir space station missions in the 1980s and 1990s, several cosmonauts reported bizarre phenomena. Some claimed to see bright orange entities or glowing angel-like figures outside the station.
Cosmonauts like Viktor Afanasyev also described strange craft tailing their modules during orbital maneuvers. These accounts were often dismissed by Soviet officials, but cosmonauts continued to hint at encounters they could not explain.
The Mir incidents remain some of the most debated UFO reports in astronaut history.
The ISS and Modern UFO Sightings
Even today, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have occasionally reported mysterious lights and objects. Live feeds from the ISS sometimes show glowing orbs, flashes, or unexplained movements in space. While many of these can be attributed to reflections or space debris, not all cases have neat explanations.
Interestingly, NASA often cuts the live feed when unusual objects appear, fueling public suspicion that not everything is being disclosed.
Why These Encounters Remain Unsolved
Despite decades of speculation, no conclusive evidence has proved that astronauts encountered alien spacecraft. However, these cases remain unresolved for several reasons:
- Lack of transparent records – Many incidents were omitted from official NASA transcripts.
- Ambiguity in visual data – Lights, reflections, and space debris can easily be misinterpreted.
- Political sensitivity – During the Cold War, UFO reports were often suppressed to avoid panic or misinterpretation.
Yet, the consistency of reports across different missions and countries keeps the alien encounter debate alive.
Conclusion
From Gordon Cooper’s glowing UFO to the ISS live-feed anomalies, astronauts have witnessed things in space that remain unexplained to this day. While skeptics argue that these are cases of mistaken identity, believers point out that astronauts are among the most credible witnesses possible.
Until humanity gathers undeniable proof, these reports will remain one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of space exploration—challenging our understanding of what truly lies beyond Earth.
