πŸ“„source artifactNASA

NASA-UAP-D031, STS-80 Unidentified Object Image 2, 1996

WAR.gov / Department of War PURSUE Release 04

During STS-80, between November 19 and December 7, 1996, astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Columbia captured a series of three images of an unidentified object in low-Earth orbit.

Type
source artifact
Agency
NASA
Released
July 10, 2026

Background

During STS-80, between November 19 and December 7, 1996, astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Columbia captured a series of three images of an unidentified object in low-Earth orbit. In the second photograph, the object is visible near the center of the frame, to the right of the limb of the Earth. It appears to have rotated or tumbled about its major axis, which is consistent with the behavior of a free-floating object.