What Do Astronauts Say About UFOs?

Today is International Day of Human Space Flight and to celebrate we're asking have people who have ventured into space ever seen a UFO? When it comes to the possibility of extraterrestrial life, astronauts should have a better insight than anyone having orbited Earth and walked on the Moon.

Over the decades, several astronauts have shared their thoughts on unidentified flying objects and alien life. Some claim to have witnessed strange phenomena themselves, while others have simply joined the debate on the likelihood of life beyond Earth.

Gordon Cooper, one of NASA's original Mercury astronauts, became known for speaking openly about UFOs. He claimed to have seen saucer-shaped craft while flying in the Air Force in the 1950s and said a camera crew he supervised filmed one landing at Edwards Air Force Base. He believes this footage was quietly taken by the government. Cooper was convinced that some UFOs were real machines not from this world and that the US was covering it up. He even spoke about UFOs at the United Nations in 1978, urging more international investigation.

In 2020, Helen Sharman, Britain's first astronaut, made waves when she said, "Aliens exist, there's no two ways about it." She didn't claim to have seen any herself, but suggested it's possible they're already here in forms we can't detect – perhaps even invisible. Sharman was speaking speculatively, encouraging people to think about how different alien life might be. Her comments weren't based on personal experience, but her scientific background gave the statement weight.

Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell walked on the Moon in 1971, but later became known for his outspoken views on UFOs. Although he never saw one himself, Mitchell said he was "90 percent sure" that many UFO sightings were real alien craft, based on what military and intelligence contacts told him. He claimed that governments, especially the US, had been hiding the truth since the Roswell crash in 1947 and even suggested aliens had shown interest in our nuclear weapons.

Despite many rumours, Neil Armstrong never claimed to see UFOs on the Moon or anywhere else. Stories about him spotting alien craft or being sworn to secrecy are just myths. Armstrong was known to be sceptical of UFO claims and stayed away from speculation. His silence on the subject stands out, showing that not all astronauts believe the hype, and that extraordinary claims should always be backed up with real evidence.

Cosmonaut Vladimir Kovalyonok reported seeing an anomalous object from the Salyut 6 space station in 1981. He described a glowing, elliptical object that appeared to split into two pieces and then disappear. He said he couldn't explain this event in the context of known human technology.

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has spent plenty of time in space but says he's never seen anything he couldn't explain. He points out that flashes of light or floating objects are common, but they always turn out to be space junk, rocket parts, or tricks of the eye. On the idea of aliens visiting, Hadfield is sceptical. He says if astronauts really had proof, "everyone would know about it." For him, a discovery that big wouldn't be kept quiet; it would be headline news.

Before becoming a NASA astronaut, Deke Slayton saw a UFO while flying a fighter plane over Minnesota in 1951. He described a grey, disc-shaped object that appeared near his plane and shot away at high speed when he tried to follow it. Slayton reported the sighting to the Air Force, but it was never explained. He didn't claim it was an alien craft, just that it was unidentified and behaved oddly.

During the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, Buzz Aldrin and the crew briefly saw a strange object outside their spacecraft. Some later claimed this was a UFO sighting, but Aldrin has always clarified it was likely a piece of their own rocket – a discarded panel drifting nearby. He was annoyed when a documentary edited out that explanation, making it sound like he believed it was an alien craft.

Cosmonaut Pavel Popovich, who flew on Vostok 4 in 1962, became an avid UFO researcher after retirement. In 1978, while on a passenger flight, Popovich observed a distant triangular object speeding across the horizon at incredible speed and altitude. He was convinced it was a craft of unknown origin, not a plane. Popovich later headed a UFO organization in Russia, collecting cosmonaut and pilot sightings.

Astronaut Tom Jones, who flew on four Space Shuttle missions, says the so-called NASA UFO footage often shared online shows nothing mysterious. In his view, these sightings usually turn out to be ice crystals, loose screws, or other bits of space debris. He emphasises that unusual-looking things in space usually have simple explanations once you understand the context – not everything unidentified is unexplained.

Although Brian O'Leary never flew in space, he was selected as a NASA astronaut in the 1960s and later became a vocal supporter of UFO and alien contact theories. In the 1990s, he said, "There is abundant evidence that we are being contacted," claiming military insiders had shared information with him.