STS-75 and the UFO Swarm: Breaking Down NASA’s Unexplained Encounter

Written by UAP Files - Jimmy

In February 1996, NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia embarked on mission STS-75, aiming to deploy the Tethered Satellite System Reflight (TSS-1R). The mission's objective was to study electrodynamic tether systems by deploying a satellite connected to the shuttle via a conductive tether. However, the mission took an unexpected turn when the tether snapped after deploying approximately 19.7 kilometres, leading to a series of events that have since fuelled debates and speculations in to UFOs and UAPs being captured in the official footage.

NASA STS-75 tether after it broke loose.

The Incident Unfolds

As the tether extended, it unexpectedly broke, releasing the satellite into orbit. This event was captured on NASA's live feed, which also recorded numerous luminous objects moving around the broken tether. These objects appeared to exhibit unusual behaviours, such as changing direction and seemingly passing behind the tether, leading some viewers to question their nature.

Screengrab from was captured using low-light TV (LLTV) or infrared (IR) cameras on board the Space Shuttle Columbia.

NASA captured the footage using low-light TV (LLTV) or infrared (IR) cameras on board the Space Shuttle Columbia and attributed the luminous objects to space debris or ice particles illuminated by sunlight. However, this explanation did not satisfy all observers. The objects' movements, including abrupt stops and objects reversing their course by 180 degrees, seemed inconsistent with passive debris behaviour. Additionally, the apparent size of these objects, inferred from their interaction with the 12-mile-long tether, suggested dimensions of up to a mile in diameter, challenging the debris hypothesis.

Object seen passing under tether in the footage suggesting size.

Veteran astronaut Story Musgrave, who was not part of the STS-75 mission, commented on the incident, acknowledging its unexplained aspects. While he did not confirm any extraterrestrial involvement, his remarks added credibility to the calls for further investigation.

Musgrave commented: “I cannot explain it”.

Key Anomalies

It has been proposed that the "donut"-shaped appearance of many objects is attributable to optical artifacts inherent to the camera system, specifically the way the aperture diaphragm or iris renders out-of-focus points of light (a phenomenon known as bokeh). However, this explanation remains contested, particularly among researchers who highlight that several objects exhibited independent motion characteristics—such as abrupt directional changes and apparent intelligent maneuvering—not consistent with inert debris or optical effects.

Given the tether's known length (~12 miles / ~19.7 km), the apparent size of the "disc" objects suggests they would be up to several hundred meters, even a mile wide — vastly larger than typical space debris or ice crystals. An “absurd” suggestion, considering ice particles in this area of space haven’t been seen to be more than a few centimetres before.

The objects exhibit rhythmic pulsations or luminosity changes that seem patterned rather than random, unlike light scattering off spinning debris.

The UAP Files Crew

In response to the ongoing intrigue, I thought it was a good time to cover this compelling case from history. So we conducted our own analysis, and enhanced the footage and run some of the footage through AI programs to look for anomalous behaviours. I was joined by my good friends Peter Osborne of the YouTube channel @TruthInfocusUFO, who has produced enhanced videos and images, highlighting the anomalies in greater detail. Collaborating with documentary maker and researcher Tom Vernon of @TomVernonUAP YouTube channel, we sat down on the UAP Files Podcast to put this all together: the analysis, the enhancements, and a good old chinwag.

The STS-75 tether incident remains a subject of fascination and debate within the scientific and UFO communities. While NASA's official stance attributes the observations to mundane phenomena, the persistent questions and alternative analyses thanks to advances in AI analysis tools, keep the discussion alive. As technology advances and more data becomes available, the hope is that a clearer picture will emerge, shedding light on one of NASA's most fascinating encounters.

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For a more in-depth exploration of the STS-75 incident, including enhanced footage and analysis, check out our video: