Departamento of Defesa of Estados Unidos released classified documents this Friday (8) containing reports from astronauts on the Skylab missions who witnessed unidentified visual phenomena during operations of the first American space station between 1973 and 1974. The technical records describe luminous flashes, bright reddish objects and flashing lights observed from outside the ship on different occasions. The opening of these files marks a significant advance in transparency about space events that have remained confidential for more than five decades.
Frequent light Flashes documented in Skylab 2
Durante the Skylab 2 mission, astronauts Joseph Kerwin, Charles Conrad and Paul Weitz recorded repeated occurrences of light flashes, mainly during night periods when they rested with their eyes closed but in a state of wakefulness. The phenomenon presented significant variations in frequency and intensity throughout the observations.
Joseph Kerwin documented his direct experience in an official report: “We saw flashes of light. Acho we all saw them. Eu saw them most often when he was in bed at night, with his eyes closed but naturally awake. Eles tended to wax and wane in frequency.” The flashes exhibited distinct patterns of visual presentation, varying between:
- Pontos short-duration isolated luminous lights.
- Feixes of light at different angles and trajectories.
- Efeitos visuals similar to solar explosions or flares.
- Sequências of flashes with variable and irregular frequency.
The astronauts raised the scientific hypothesis that part of the phenomena could be associated with the passage of cosmic particles through the eyeball, an explanation that remains under continuous technical analysis by specialized research institutions.
Extremely bright reddish Objeto on Skylab 3
The Skylab 3 mission produced documentation of a distinct visual phenomenon: an extraordinary bright reddish object observed near the space station. Astronauts Alan Bean, Owen Garriott and Jack Lousma tracked the object for approximately five to ten minutes before sunset, recording features that defied immediate explanation.
Owen Garriott described the observation in his official account: “We saw that satellite about a week before the water landing. Foi one of the most unusual things we saw.” The object had an intense red hue and appeared to be in an orbit very similar to that of Skylab itself. The luminous intensity caught the crew’s particular attention, leading Garriott to state: “It was much brighter than Júpiter or any other planet.” The brightness was not constant, varying at regular intervals that suggested controlled rotational motion.
Padrões technical and analysis of phenomena
The records reveal remarkable consistency in observations: multiple astronauts on different missions reported similar events without prior communication between the crews. The phenomena exhibited properties that defied explanations based on known astronomical objects or equipment failures on the ships.
Technical documentation included measurements of relative brightness compared to known celestial bodies, precise duration of observations, estimated orbital position, and luminous behavior over time. The astronauts used planetary references — especially comparison with Júpiter — to establish a standard of intensity in official reports. The regular variation in the object’s brightness in Skylab 3 suggested controlled rotational movement, an element that the astronauts were unable to fully explain through known astronomical phenomena at that time.
Transparência and future analysis prospects
The release of these records comes after years of public requests for access to information about unidentified phenomena. Defesa’s Departamento classified this data as “unpublished files”, indicating that it had not previously been made available in an open public format. The documents remain subject to ongoing scientific analysis, with space agencies and research institutions awaiting technical review of the original reports to determine whether modern methodologies and current analysis technologies can offer alternative explanations to phenomena cataloged more than fifty years ago.