The Pentagon has made public 162 files related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), including NASA Apollo mission images and astronaut audio recordings from 1965. The documents were uploaded on May 8 to the government’s PURSUE portal at war.gov/ufo as part of President Donald Trump’s directive to declassify long-secret UAP records.
According to the Department of War, the newly released archive spans reported sightings and incidents from 1942 through 2025. Out of the 162 files published, 108 contain partial redactions linked to witness identities, military locations, and sensitive infrastructure details. Officials stated that none of the edits were related to the actual nature of the reported UAP encounters.
Among the most notable disclosures are NASA transcripts and photographs from the Apollo 12 Moon Landing and Apollo 17 Moon Landing missions. One Apollo 17 image reportedly shows three unexplained lights arranged in a triangular pattern above the Moon’s surface. US government analysts now believe the anomaly may represent a physical object, prompting the Pentagon to launch a formal investigation and retrieve the original Apollo 17 film reels for detailed examination.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the classified nature of the files had fueled public speculation for decades and argued that the American public deserved greater transparency. He also confirmed that additional files will continue to be released in stages over the coming weeks.
The release also includes historic astronaut communications. One 1965 audio clip features astronaut Frank Borman aboard Gemini VII reporting a “bogey at 10 o’clock high.” Another recording captures Eugene Cernan, commander of Apollo 17, describing a flashing object rotating in a rhythmic pattern several miles away from his capsule. While snippets of these recordings had circulated online previously, officials say the original NASA transcripts are being publicly disclosed for the first time.
In addition to the documents and audio, the archive contains roughly 24 military videos totaling about 41 minutes. The footage allegedly includes infrared recordings of unidentified objects making abrupt 90-degree turns over Greece in 2023, a football-shaped object spotted near Japan, and semi-transparent aerial shapes observed over Syria. Most of the clips show small bright objects tracked by military imaging systems, though no definitive conclusions were attached to the footage.
Officials emphasized that the release does not confirm extraterrestrial life or alien activity. Former President Barack Obama recently reiterated that the US government is not hiding proof of aliens, clarifying earlier remarks that had gone viral online.
