December 21, 1977🇺🇸Document

NASA Officially Refuses UFO Investigation Despite Carter Pressure

NASA Administrator Robert Frosch formally declines to take on UFO investigations, replying to the White House Science Advisor Frank Press's July 21 letter. Frosch states that NASA would be willing to analyze any 'bona fide physical evidence' of extraterrestrial visitors but 'it is not in a position to set up an investigation program.' This effectively kills the Carter administration's attempt to reopen official UFO studies. The decision comes despite 9,000+ public letters, the Sturrock survey showing 80% of astronomers favoring study, and the President's own expressed interest.

Date
December 21, 1977
Location
Washington, D.C.🇽🇽
Type
Document
Country
🇺🇸 United States
Map

Background

NASA Administrator Robert Frosch formally declined to take on UFO investigations in a letter dated December 21, 1977. This decision came in response to White House Science Advisor Frank Press's July 21 letter regarding the matter. While NASA expressed willingness to analyze any 'bona fide physical evidence' of extraterrestrial visitors, it maintained it was not positioned to actively investigate UFOs.

The Incident According to public statements, an individual named Sheehan viewed films of unidentified vehicles in a secured room located in the Madison Building. The building was so new that it had not yet opened to the public. Sheehan was granted access to a basement vault area built for the Library of Congress, which was guarded by armed personnel.

Inside the secured room, Sheehan viewed films of unidentified vehicles. He observed a series of photographs depicting a classic flying saucer embedded in snow, surrounded by Air Force personnel. The photos were clear enough for him to discern details such as name tags and symbols on the side of the craft, which he traced onto a yellow legal pad.

Investigation After viewing the films, Sheehan shared what he saw with an individual named Smith. Smith subsequently drafted two reports for the House Science and Technology Committee, both of which were sent to President Carter. One report focused on extraterrestrial intelligence, while the other specifically addressed UFOs.

The report on extraterrestrial intelligence estimated the existence of between two and six technologically advanced civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy. The UFO report included drawings of different shapes of UFOs.

Significance NASA's refusal to actively investigate UFOs, despite apparent White House interest and alleged evidence viewed by Sheehan, highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of government involvement with the UFO phenomenon. The reports drafted for the House Science and Technology Committee, and sent to President Carter, suggest a level of official interest in both extraterrestrial intelligence and UFOs, even as official agencies like NASA remained hesitant to engage in active investigation. The alleged viewing of clear UFO photographs by Sheehan, and the subsequent drafting of reports, contribute to the ongoing debate about the existence and nature of UFOs, and the extent of government knowledge and involvement.

Connections