Fast, bright UFO overtakes International Space Station

International Space Station illustration. NASA image.

A bright and fast object seemingly "overtook" the International Space Station May 29, according to several witnesses observing from two different states, according to testimony from the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) witness database.

The first case was reported from Texas, where a man and two other witnesses were out watching the International Space Station fly over, and then observed this second object - moving at between two and-a-half and three times the speed of the space station.

A second group is reporting in from the RMCC Observatory, Mounds, Oklahoma, who say they saw the same event.

I include a third report from another Texas witness because the date is the same and it may be related.

The following reports and their headlines are unedited.

Please keep in mind that most UFO reports can be explained as something natural or manmade. If Texas or Oklahoma MUFON investigates and reports back on this case, I will update this page.

You can read my selected cases by type of UFO report at the UFO Traffic Report index page.

TX, May 29, 2009 - While watching the space station fly over another object appeared.

My girlfriend and I watched the ISS (international space station) fly over 2 nights ago and this time with her 14 year old daughter, the 3 of us were watching it again (on 5-29-09). Information on its position and time came form SpaceWeather.com.

We knew when and where to look and it appeared at the exact time and location predicted. We watched the ISS for about 20 seconds and then all three of us, at the same time, saw another object moving and approaching it from behind. Initially we were all in disbelief that we were actually watching something we knew was the ISS which was amazing itself and then something appeared that we couldn't explain. We were all witnessing a UFO event.

The other, unidentified object overtook and moved past by the ISS. The UFO was moving 2.5 - 3 times faster than the ISS. They were moving in the same general direction but not the exact same heading. It was definately not an airliner as it was moving much faster. It had no colored lights. It had a much dimmer appearance when compaired to the ISS. The UFO was not a constant light but did not blink, more of a random dimming and then back to bright appearance. It was moving in a strait line. We watched them both until they moved out of sight.

PS. I am a Mufon Field Investigator, #13357

OK, May 29, 2009 - The same object was seen by many at the RMCC Observatory - Mounds, OK as reported from Mt. Pleasant, TX.

There were many of us at the club's observatory tonight to enjoy the clear sky and get some observing time in. We also were watching the ISS as it passed over but noticed the same small object that came up from behind and zipped by the ISS very rapidly. It was much smaller but was moving so fast it didn't take it any time to catch up with the ISS, pass it and continue on until it was lost from sight. Basically we saw the same as the group down in Mt. Pleasant, TX., Case Number 17241. The smaller object was most certainly not a standard satellite that we are very accustomed to seeing or any aircraft that any of us was familiar with. It pulsed in brightness as it flew by. From our location it remained approximately 10 degrees to the right of the ISS at all times while in sight. It was surprising, astonishing actually, as to how fast this small pulsing object was moving. If there happens to be a satellite that moves at the same speed, well, it's the first time any of us have ever seen one and I can assure you we've seen more or less all of them.

TX, May 29, 2009 - Bright light equal to Venus, silent, never changing brightness or course, while moving away from me.

This sighting would not be unusual except the object was moving AWAY from my position and never varied in brightness, and emitted no sound. The brightness was of magnitude zero to minus one which would put it in the Venus range.

I was sitting on the front porch since before dark enjoying the early evening air. Looked up accidently and saw a BRIGHT light overhead. Object passed over central Ft Worth and moved to the South East at a speed of about 150 to 200 mph. Hard to tell the altitude which would of course change the rate of speed. Object never changed course as far as I could see; it moved over houses and trees out of sight. Saw the object about 2 minutes. No sound at all.

Being a rather avid sky watcher since High school days (I am now 57) this caught my eye as something unusual. Rather than make a move for the binocs, I continued to just sit and watch to see where it went.

No tail-postion aircraft white light was EVER this bright! This light had a bluish white color.

I have over 34 years as a private pilot, 27 years in Aerospace writing Flight Manuals for fighter aircraft, and am an avid aircraft nut and radio control aircraft modeler. I am also an amateur astronomer since High School days (not too active these days) and am pretty familar with the night sky and how aircraft appear at night.

This will have importance ONLY if someone else in the area saw the same thing to a greater extent than I. Right now I have no idea what it was, but it was VERY unusual whatever the case.