The Department of War, in coordination with the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), has released a declassified audio excerpt from NASA’s Mercury-Atlas 9 mission, dated May 15, 1963. The recording, designated D011 under the agency’s mission report identification system, captures an unidentified anomalous phenomenon (UAP) encounter during the orbital flight. The release is part of the ongoing PURSUE policy framework, which mandates the declassification of historical UAP records.
The audio excerpt was recorded by sensors aboard the Mercury-Atlas 9 spacecraft, which carried astronaut Gordon Cooper on a 22-orbit mission. According to the metadata, the recording captures communications between Cooper and ground control regarding an unidentified object observed during the flight. The report does not specify the exact nature of the object, but the audio includes Cooper’s description of a glowing, greenish object that appeared to approach the spacecraft before moving away. The sensor data indicates the object was detected at an altitude consistent with the spacecraft’s orbit.
The filename, nasa-uap-d011-mercury-atlas-9-audio-excerpt-may-15-1963, provides technical details about the recording. The “D011” designation corresponds to a specific mission report identifier used by NASA for UAP-related incidents. The audio was captured by the spacecraft’s onboard telemetry system, which recorded both voice communications and environmental data. The report does not confirm whether the object was tracked by radar or other sensors, but the audio provides a firsthand account from the astronaut.
The release of this audio is part of a broader effort by AARO to review and declassify historical UAP records from military and civilian agencies. The PURSUE policy, established by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, aims to increase transparency while protecting sensitive sources and methods. AARO has previously released videos and documents from the U.S. Navy and Air Force, but this is the first declassified audio from a NASA mission.
The report does not draw conclusions about the origin or nature of the object. It notes that the audio has been analyzed by AARO’s technical team, which found no evidence of sensor malfunction or data corruption. The object’s behavior, as described by Cooper, is consistent with other UAP reports from the era, but the report does not speculate on potential explanations.
Moving forward, AARO may request additional data from NASA archives, including telemetry logs and radar tracking records from the mission. The office can also interview surviving personnel, such as ground control operators, to gather more context. The release of this audio is expected to generate further interest in historical UAP cases, but AARO emphasizes that its analysis will remain data-driven and focused on national security implications.
