UAP D001 Congress WhiteHouse UFO Correspondence 1998

CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY

AI Summary

This document contains correspondence between U.S. Congress members and NASA regarding inquiries about UFOs and Mars photographs. It includes letters from Senator Olympia Snowe and Senator Charles Grassley, addressing public concerns about UFO sightings and the authenticity of NASA's Mars images.

Key Findings

- Senator Snowe forwarded a letter from a constituent concerned about UFOs and Mars photos. - NASA clarified that the Mars images are processed digital formats and not tampered with. - Grassley requested information on UFO sightings by astronauts, indicating public interest in the topic. - NASA has no ongoing program for investigating UFOs and has not withheld information.

OCR Text

1320 .4 Aeronautics:UFO Headquarters Action Tracking System (HATS) INCOMING CORRESPONDENCE ACTION ID Number: L11998-00407 . (b) ( 6) Title: WARD/Sen Snowe fwds ltr from U.F.O. and the recent Mars photo who's interested in Recipient: UHeffernan Author: Organization: SNOWE SENATE Date Written: Date Received: Date Concurred: 05/18/1998 05/26/1998 Action Office: Status: UWard:S Closed Date Submitted: Date Signed: Date Closed: >>Current Due Date: Original Due Date: 06/24/1998 06/24/1998 06/18/1998<< Signature Office: UHeffernan Info offices: UHeffernan, UHeninger, L/Kerwin Abstract: SEN SNOWE FWDS LTR FROM (b) ( 6 ) OF STOCKINGTON, MAINE, WHO'S INTE:RESTED IN U.FO.'S AND THE RECENT PHOTOS OF MARS WHICH WERE RECENTLY RELEASED. Comments: Enclosures: NO Related Records: Keywords: (b) ( 5 ) MAINE U.F .O. MARS File Plan: 1320.4 Analyst: BMoore 06/24/1998 Page 1 of 1 Headquarters Action Tracking System (HATS) INCOMING CORRESPONDENCE ACTION ID Number: L/1998-00729 Title: Rothman/UFO_Sightings by Astronauts Recipient: UHeffernan Author: Grassley Organization: Senate Date Written: 08/03/1998 Date Received: 08/31/1998 Date Concurred: Date Submi tted: Date Signed: 09/04/1998 Date Closed: 09/10/1998 Action Office: LD/Rothman:P >> Current Due Date: 08/22/1998<< Original Due Date: 08/22/1998 Status: Closed Signature Office: UHeffernan Info Offices: UHeffernan, UHeninger, UKerwin Abstract: Senator Grassley forwards letter from (ts) (S) who is requesting information on UFO sightings by Astronauts. -- Comments: Enclosures: letter Related Records: Keywords: (6J (o) UFO,astronauts,sightings File Plan: 1320.4 Analyst: JMassey 09/10/1998 Page 1 of 1 --- yeAtoGU SEP - 4 1998 L:HR:mtg:L/1998-729f T he Honorable Charles E. Grassley United States Senate Washington, DC 2051 0 Dear Senator Grassley: Thank you for your letter of August 3, 1998, on behalf of(b < 5 ) who is requesting information about the possible sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects (U FOs) by NASA astronauts. Over the years there have been many objects sighted by the astronauts during space missions. Most of these items were later identified by photographs or NORAD records as material from launch vehicles or spacecraft or were such items as water droplets. No unidentified materials were seen on missions to the moon. T he Air Force, in the interest of national security, received and investigated all reports for many years but has discontinued this activity. NASA has no program for investigating UFOs and has not withheld information on sightings. In 1976, James Oberg thoroughly researched the UFO/astronaut allegations and published an article about it in SEARCH magazine. We are enclosing that article fo r (b) ( 6 ) )nformation. In addition, enclosed is a NASA Fact Sheet which summarizes the current status of NASA's involvement in UFO investigations. We trust this information will aid you in responding to(b) 6 ) inquiry. Sincerely, Edward Heffernan Associate Administrator for Legislative Affairs Enclosures + bee: Z/Roger Launius (with incoming) ; provided info Sent to Sherry Kuntz in the Hill office S,ncc tho ··auron.iut UFO" genre is one of rhe m13in pillolrs o f VFO ovidcr1ce. thi5 study clafmln g !hat the entire set of C .)Scs i1 inv.,..lid W 1if 0U1110U5iy CC fCCl.?1"18<J t..Vlth 15eeptic. ism and cri ticism from UFO buffs. Aation~I objections and arguments wiH bo printed and answered in a subseQuent is'5ue of this magazina. Critics are urged to raise specific points not address°'d in tho study. or to cite and docum.ant facts which might modify or invalidate conclusions in the study. James E. Oberg Associate Ed itor " Space World" magazine Story! SGM{q ~ f'\~9 ~\?-j ,1{ WiNT~R 1<;46 ( 1H~~ ij,J?_'lJ P/\LM~ fvBL\CA'11ou s f\l''\1-\~ f\<;T.) l-Ji ~c... S~Y OG Su\1\e C.1.1f7 pr:c~ ._f1,25' Space flight has opened many mysteries. True, scie11tists prefer to list tlie puzzles solved and u11knoums discovered, but as men venture beyond the earth it is inevitable that new mysteries will be encountered. Somewhere out there, many obsen:ers believe, are intelligent species with technological civilizations · far more advanced tha,z that of Earth. Perhaps t hey are sending us radio signals we have not recognized. Perhaps they have left artifacts ofpast visits for us to find. Perhaps they are even_ now keeping the earth under surveillance. If they are out there, someday we will meet them. As illustrated in science fiction, this meeting will probably occur in space. Have such meetings already occurred? Have astronauts and cosmonauts already seen alien spacecraft? The UFO lite!ature is full of tales of "space UFOs". Are any ofthem valid? What can a careful study reveal? H ardly a UFO book or movie is complete without the standard assertion that "astronauts have seen UFOs too". While critics may att…

Metadata

Agency
—
Classification
UNCLASSIFIED
Department
Congress
Confidence85
Credibility90

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