HOMEINCIDENTSNASA-006
UNCLASSIFIED
▶ VIDEO AVAILABLE◈ IMAGE AVAILABLE
NASA-006 · 1991-09-15

STS-48 Discovery — NASA Footage, Anomalous Objects

NASALow Earth Orbit — Discovery shuttle, ~570 km altitudeSpace / Orbit#1991Orb / Sphere~570 km (LEO)Seconds
EVIDENCE GALLERY

Visual reconstruction and recovered media extracted from the incident dossier. Includes motion playback from the released archive.

Representative official gallery image traced to an official public-source archive

MEDIA STATUS
Official gallery media is shown as representative archive context for this case.
SOURCE TYPE
Sensor capture, analyst notes, and released archive media.
VIEW MODE
Still view highlights silhouette, environment, and encounter geometry.
AT A GLANCE

NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery STS-48 mission recorded footage showing multiple small bright objects making sharp directional changes and accelerating at high speed in Earth orbit. One object abruptly changes direction moments before a flash and streak cross the frame. The footage was broadcast in the official NASA public feed. Physicists and aerospace engineers publicly analyzed the footage and some concluded the movements were inconsistent with ice particles or thruster firings.

PRIMARY WITNESSES
Discovery STS-48 crew; NASA Mission Control; amateur radio observers
EVIDENCE PROFILE
STILL EVIDENCEVIDEO PLAYBACKORB / SPHERE
FILE ID
NASA-006
DATE
1991-09-15
AGENCY
NASA
REGION
Space / Orbit
SHAPE
Orb / Sphere
ALTITUDE
~570 km (LEO)
OBSERVED BEHAVIORS
Rapid Acceleration90° TurnsInstant Disappearance
DECLASSIFIED DETAILS

On September 15, 1991, during Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-48 mission, NASA's onboard cameras captured footage of the Earth's limb showing multiple luminous objects moving in various directions against the backdrop of Earth's atmosphere. One object, moving in a consistent direction, abruptly changes course and accelerates upward at a sharp angle. Simultaneously, a streak of light crosses the frame and a flash occurs. The footage was included in NASA's live public broadcast feed. Physicist Dr. Jack Kasher of the University of Nebraska analyzed the footage extensively and published a peer-reviewed analysis concluding that the movements of the objects — including the abrupt directional change — were inconsistent with ice particles ejected from the shuttle's reaction control system (the official NASA explanation). Kasher's analysis found the acceleration implied by the directional change was too high to be consistent with thruster ejecta. James Oberg, a NASA mission operations specialist, provided the official counteranalysis supporting the ice particle explanation. The debate between Kasher and Oberg was published in scientific correspondence. The footage remains publicly available in NASA archives. The STS-48 event is considered one of the most technically analyzed NASA UAP incidents alongside the earlier STS-75 tether incident.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS
  • Footage captured in NASA's official public broadcast feed — part of the STS-48 mission record
  • Object performs abrupt directional change followed by high-speed acceleration — simultaneous flash occurs
  • Dr. Jack Kasher (University of Nebraska) published peer-reviewed analysis: movement inconsistent with ice particles
  • Debate between Kasher and NASA specialist Oberg entered scientific correspondence record
  • NASA official explanation: reaction control system ice particle — disputed by independent physicists
  • Footage preserved in NASA public archives — technically analyzed alongside STS-75 tether incident
ORIGINAL SOURCE

This incident is indexed as file NASA-006inside Now Declassified's research layer. The nearest official source trail for this agency points to NASA UAP Study, where archive records, imagery, or supporting context are published for public review.

OPEN OFFICIAL SOURCE CONTEXT →
EVIDENCE STRENGTH
MODERATE
Video Record
25
Still Imagery
15
Witness Credibility
14
Sensor Corroboration
0
Physical Evidence
0
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RESEARCHER DISCUSSION

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