UFO Files Released by U.S. Government-161 Folders Relate to Apollo Moon Missions, Possible 'Alien' Life
The U.S. government has started releasing government documents on UFOS and the search for possible "alien and extraterrestrial life."
On May 8, 2026, the government posted 161 files on the Department of War's website and pledged to keep releasing documents in a rolling basis. See the files here.
According to NBC News, the previously classified files include "incidents from the Apollo 11, Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 moon missions. In a 1969 debriefing after the Apollo 11 flight, astronaut Buzz Aldrin reported seeing 'little flashes inside the cabin, spaced a couple of minutes apart,' while trying to fall asleep. In another incident, Aldrin described seeing 'what appeared to be a fairly bright light source which we tentatively ascribed to a possible laser."
During 1969's Apollo 12 mission, astronaut Alan Bean reported "flashes of light" that he said were "sailing off into space," NBC News report.
The Released Documents Are Government Files Related to 'Alien & Extraterrestrial Life,' the Government Says
In one of the videos released by the U.S. Department of Defense as part of its UFO files disclosure, a star-shaped object can be seen moving erratically across the sky in sharp zigzags.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 8, 2026
Its origin is not explained in the documents. The video is from 2013. pic.twitter.com/P102GCTaQ8
A statement on the Department of War's website says the released documents are "government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters."
The Department of War (DOW) wrote that the agency, "with support from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), is overseeing government wide efforts to expeditiously find, review, identify, declassify and publicly release unresolved UAP-related records and historical documents in the federal government's possession."
Added the Department: "This is an unprecedented, historic undertaking that requires coordination between dozens of agencies and the review of tens of millions of records, many existing only on paper, spanning many decades. Given the scope of this task, the Department of War will be releasing new materials on a rolling basis as they are discovered and declassified, with tranches posted every few weeks."
The first file among the 161 says, "The FBI's 62-HQ-83894 case file includes investigative records, eyewitness testimonies, and public reports concerning Unidentified Flying Objects and flying discs documented between June 1947 and July 1968. The records include high-profile incident accounts, photographic evidence from sites like Oak Ridge, TN, and technical proposals regarding potential propulsion systems. Additional topics include convention programs, researcher accounts, and extensive media coverage from the period. This file is partially posted on FBI vault with more redactions and some pages missing. Included here is the complete case file with several newly declassified pages and only minor redactions."
FIRST ON FOX: President Trump has directed federal agencies to begin the process of identifying and releasing government files related to UFOs and extraterrestrial life.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 8, 2026
The move follows "tremendous interest" from the public and promises a level of transparency into unidentified… pic.twitter.com/bDAY07FUcy
Another file, which is labeled "Western US Event," explains, "This document is a summary of statements by seven US PERSONs employed by the federal government who separately reported observing several unidentified anomalous phenomena in the western United States over the course of two days in 2023."
That file notes that these witnesses "reported four distinct categories of experiences, including observing 'orbs launching other orbs' at a distance, observing a large stationary glowing orb at close estimated range, pursuing a large phenomenon near the ground, and observing a large, seemingly transparent phenomenon, reported to being akin to a 'translucent kite.'"
It continues: "Although there is no technical data directly associated with this report, contextual factors - such as these events sharing features with others reported to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the reporters' credibility, and the potentially anomalous nature of the events themselves - combine to make this report among the most compelling within AARO's current holdings."
Do Aliens Exist? The Government Is Calling the Cases 'Unresolved'
The government is not stating definitively that aliens exist.
"The materials archived here are unresolved cases, meaning the government is unable to make a definitive determination on the nature of the observed phenomena," the Department of War wrote.
"This can occur for a variety of reasons, including a lack of sufficient data, and the Department of War welcomes the application of private-sector analysis, information and expertise. DOW will continue to conduct separate reporting on resolved UAP cases, as mandated by statute. Under this Administration, we will pursue the truth and share our findings with the American people."
Some incidents described in the files have already been debunked, NBC News reported.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 9:56 AM.