1991 · Above the west coast of Australia

STS-48: the object that turns

On the record

Strength B · 8/10 · 3 independent

Evidence 4/4 · Witnesses 2/3 · Backing 2/3

Official NASA footage with two published analyses against the debris explanation, which NASA never demonstrated.

Plausibility High

Score 11 · 6 factors for, 0 against

Official NASA footage with two published analyses against the debris explanation, which NASA never demonstrated.

See the factors ↓

Natural cause proposed, not demonstrated

Messing's edited NASA TV cut (8_OjsRutt7E) · Frame grab from the video

WhenSeptember 15, 1991

WhereAbove the west coast of Australia

Backing3 independent

Evidencesensor data, documents

Discovery's camera filmed points of light; after a flash one makes a sharp turn and races away. Carlotto (1995) puts one object at about 35 km/s and the 'target' at or near the physical horizon. Kasher (1994) gave five arguments against ice particles, including a half-second stop before the turn. NASA's answer: sunlit orbiter debris, with the flash from an attitude thruster.

Evidence, in date order (3)

15 Sept 1991NASAsensor data
STS-48 camera footage of the object turning NASA footage, STS-48, Sept 1991 (Paul Messing, 2018)
1994Kasherdocument
1994 analysis arguing against ice particles Kasher 1994: STS-48 analysis (Journal of UFO Studies)
1995Carlottodocument
1995 analysis placing the object far from the shuttle Carlotto 1995: 'Digital video analysis of anomalous space objects' (STS-48)

How plausible · High

Official NASA footage with two published analyses against the debris explanation, which NASA never demonstrated.

●●
Access NASA camera.
●●
No gain sought Official.
●●
Character record NASA; published analysts.
●●
Checkable details check out Footage.
●●
Physical traces or official reaction Video.
●○
Independent convergence Two analyses.

Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.

Where

Above the west coast of Australia

25.0°S 112.0°E · region only

‹ Previous in Max Derakhshani's objectsPhobos 2's elongated object11 of 17Next in Max Derakhshani's objects ›Shuttle footage

Threads · click one to see it on the board

Sources

Watch and listen2

STS-48 horizon clip with mission audio (Paul Messing recording)NASA TV downlink from Discovery, 15 September 1991, as recorded off the air by Paul Messing: points of light move above the Earth's limb, a flash occurs and one light turns sharply and leaves.YouTube · NASA (STS-48 downlink); off-air recording by Paul Messing · source ↗

STS-48 footage, edited cut (Paul Messing, 2018)Paul Messing's shorter edited cut of the same NASA TV footage, with the light that changes course after the flash.YouTube · NASA (STS-48 downlink); off-air recording by Paul Messing · source ↗

Pictures8

Messing's edited NASA TV cut (8_OjsRutt7E)

The horizon clip with mission audio (Q4o6E8_SRe8)

The limb lights (JqoeVxVRLlQ)

Articles that cite this case1

STS-48 and North West Cape

The STS-48 object was filmed near the west coast of Australia in September 1991. That was the last year of full US control of the Harold E. Holt station at North West Cape, where Coulthart's witnesses describe a bulldozed site and triangle sightings.

2 recordsRead the article →