Space Shuttle takes photos of secret aircraft or UFO

Almost 25 years ago, STS-61C, launched on January 12, 1986 took these amazing photos of a "UFO" in low earth orbit. I would submit these may be in fact photos of the secret SR-91 Aurora making this an Identified Flying Object. Here are the pics:









The last image in particular even looks like F-117 or B2 technology except of course the Aurora uses ramjets to attain hypersonic trans-atmospheric speeds.

I found these after reading the great link on NASA's Black Boxes thread. The Youtube link follows with the pics above starting at around 02:51

www.youtube.com...

If we had this technology 25 years ago, I wonder what we have now...

Pretty sure that it is just debris.

There was a thread about it a while back, I'll see if I can find it.

reply to post by Chadwickus


This one?

Edit: Sorry for the intrusion on your search - I was already searching for it before I saw your post.

[edit on 11-11-2009 by InTrueFiction]

reply to post by InTrueFiction


That's the one!

Good stuff!

Saved me from trying to find it again.

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel


some are of the opinion that it is some form of dirigible/blimp because of its enormous size and leisurely pace

reply to post by InTrueFiction


Yes, ATS already covered this it seems. You can believe it is space junk, but the time frame is right for the SR-91 and if the Aurora was seen from orbit it would probably look much like this. The SR-91 is probably already obsolete replaced by scramjet technology like the X-43A demonstrated:

Found this:

I don't know if it has already been pointed out in the other thread, but it's a
Piece of thermal insulation tile floating near the Shuttle Columbia

Collection: NASA Johnson Space Center Collection
Title: Piece of thermal insulation tile floats near the Shuttle Columbia
Description: A small piece of thermal insulation tile floats in space near the Shuttle Columbia. The cloudy surface of the earth is used as a background.
Date Taken: 1986-01-12
Program: Shuttle
Mission: STS-61C
Subject Terms: PHOTOGRAPHY
Subject Terms: MISSION
Subject Terms: THERMAL
Subject Terms: PROTECTION
Subject Terms: ONBOARD
Subject Terms: ACTIVITIES
Subject Terms: SPACE
Subject Terms: (ORBITER)
Subject Terms: SHUTTLE
Subject Terms: COLUMBIA
Subject Terms: TILES
Subject Terms: 61-C
facet_what: Earth
facet_what: Columbia
facet_where: Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Photo ID: STS61C-31-002
Film Type: 70mm
UID: SPD-JSC-STS61C-31-00 2
original url: Link
Image ID: 148967
Resolution Size: 3
Format: JPEG
Media Type: Image
File Name: STS61C-31-002.jpg
Width: 640
Height: 480

[edit on 11/11/2009 by internos]

Originally posted by Nicolas Flamel
reply to post by InTrueFiction

 

Yes, ATS already covered this it seems. You can believe it is space junk, but the time frame is right for the SR-91 and if the Aurora was seen from orbit it would probably look much like this. The SR-91 is probably already obsolete replaced by scramjet technology like the X-43A demonstrated:

I have no certainties on this photo. The one thing that both pictures (which are in sequence I believe - 002/003) give me the notion that the object is tumbling rather than flying in any given direction.

That to me personally makes me assume that it is debris in orbit. But that's just my opinion of course - other members will have more knowledge and insight on this type of phenomena.

Cheers.

Mystery solved.

Hope they picked it up before leaving orbit... take only photos and leave only footprints.

I think the majority of us here can reasonably conclude that this is nothing more than space junk. There are more reasons the conclude that than anything else at this point. Plus, if this was secret you wouldn't be seeing it.

I think reading too much into this and assigning it secret UFO or secret military status is reaching past the point of common sense, reason and logic since you have to overlook a bunch of more plausible explanations to reach those conclusions.

But as with most things in this subject, everyone can look at the same picture and come up with different ideas, normally based on whatever they are personally projecting on the object and desire believe anyway.

reply to post by IgnoreTheFacts


I simply posted the images to get opinions, which I got lol. Of course, if it was a UFO or secret aircraft pic leaked to the public, tptb would surely say it's just a piece of debris or swamp gas.

Originally posted by Nicolas Flamel
reply to post by IgnoreTheFacts

 

I simply posted the images to get opinions, which I got lol. Of course, if it was a UFO or secret aircraft pic leaked to the public, tptb would surely say it's just a piece of debris or swamp gas.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel


No, I'm 100% certain that no one at all would call that picture swamp gas.

Why that would even enter your mind is extremely perplexing and is saying a great deal about your mindset on the subject.

Originally posted by Chadwickus
reply to post by Nicolas Flamel

 

No, I'm 100% certain that no one at all would call that picture swamp gas.

Why that would even enter your mind is extremely perplexing and is saying a great deal about your mindset on the subject.

Ah com'on.

I'm sure Hoagland has found a picture of one or two swamps in space by now as proof that frogs are capable of spaceflight.

(Couldn't help myself. Sorry.)

[edit on 11-11-2009 by InTrueFiction]

reply to post by InTrueFiction


well I guess if one were to find swamp gas somewhere that wasn't a swamp, it most likely would be coming out of some distasteful orifice of Hoagland's...




[edit on 11/11/09 by Chadwickus]

Originally posted by Chadwickus
reply to post by Nicolas Flamel

 

No, I'm 100% certain that no one at all would call that picture swamp gas.

Why that would even enter your mind is extremely perplexing and is saying a great deal about your mindset on the subject.

It was a joke and reference to Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a ufo debunker:

one link: ufos.about.com...

Your lack of humour and knowledge of this is perplexing.

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel


I know full well the origins of swamp gas theory used by Dr Hynek, I also know full well the joke that your type likes to make.

Sorry if I don't find your ignorant and stereotypical humour funny.

Originally posted by draknoir2
Found this:

Staying on the subject of triangular mystery craft, does anyone know the origin of the photo I attached? It was linked to a Joint Recon Study Group article, but no details on what is pictured. Looks to be a real aircraft.

Originally posted by draknoir2

Originally posted by draknoir2
Found this:

Staying on the subject of triangular mystery craft, does anyone know the origin of the photo I attached? It was linked to a Joint Recon Study Group article, but no details on what is pictured. Looks to be a real aircraft.

It's a photoshopped version of this reconstruction made for Discover Magazine issued on 1986:
(firstly found by Canada_EH)

...which was clearly photoshopped itself: the plane's shadow is not consistant with all the others ones. Probably the triangle was added to a photo showing another type of craft.

Here, i've recreated the process starting form the reconstruction of the newspaper: i think it was mirrored horizontally, colorized, then stretched vertically.