NASA, US collab to probe 'unidentified aerial phenomena'
The United States government and NASA will be working closely together to investigate so-called unidentified aerial phenomena, which they claim pose a threat to Washington.
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US army officers and a NASA astronaut at the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas
NASA is joining in the US government's investigation of the so-called unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) following the first public congressional hearing on the matter last week, The Daily Mail said on Friday.
NASA will contribute to Washington's effort to understand the unusual occurrences by providing expertise in space-based observations, the report said, citing a NASA spokesperson. However, the space agency will not establish a dedicated UAP office.
The agency's involvement is likely to include reviewing footage and data from previous missions to help investigate UAP, in addition to gathering evidence from astronauts who may have had encounters with them in space, the report said.
NASA's work will join that of the Defense Department's UAP task force, which Congress tasked with investigating whether UAP posed a threat in US airspace or elsewhere, the report added.
US aircraft have reportedly had at least 11 "near misses" with UAP. Washington has neither attempted to communicate with the objects nor fire upon them, Naval Intelligence Deputy Director Scott Bray said during a congressional hearing.
The UAP appear to be unmanned and perhaps not in a controlled flight, Bray said, while the government revealed that no UAP wreckage has been recovered that is inconsistent with terrestrial origin.
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, Ronald Moultrie, said earlier that his country was committed to determining the origin of UAP, especially due to the potential flight safety and security risks they pose.
