NASA has launched a research project to assist scientists in learning more about unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) or UFOs (unidentified flying objects).
The independent study team of 16 members will lay the groundwork for future research on the nature of UAPs for NASA and other organisations over the course of nine months, according to a statement from the space agency.
Leading scientists, data and AI practitioners, aerospace safety experts, and other experts in their respective fields comprise the team.
The study will only look at unclassified data. In mid-2023, a full report containing the team’s findings will be made public.
“Exploring the unknown in space and the atmosphere is at the heart of who we are at NASA,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC.
“Understanding the data we have surrounding unidentified aerial phenomena is critical to helping us draw scientific conclusions about what is happening in our skies. Data is the language of scientists and makes the unexplainable, explainable,” he said.
Unidentified aerial phenomena are of interest for both national security and air safety, and the study is in line with one of NASA’s goals to ensure aircraft safety.
It is nearly impossible to verify or explain any observation without access to a large set of data, so the goal of the study is to inform NASA about what data might be collected in the future to scientifically determine the nature of UAP.
“NASA has brought together some of the world’s leading scientists, data and artificial intelligence practitioners, aerospace safety experts, all with a specific charge, which is to tell us how to apply the full focus of science and data to UAP,” said Daniel Evans, the assistant deputy associate administrator for research at NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
The findings will be made public in accordance with NASA’s transparency, openness, and scientific integrity principles.
