On September 14, 2023, NASA’s UAP Independent Study Team published its Final Report. The report was the product of a study team appointed by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, operating under a formal Statement of Task that had been publicly released. The report is freely downloadable and remains the most significant public scientific assessment of UAP data needs produced by any major space agency.
What the Report Recommended
The Final Report’s core recommendations addressed: creating a standardised UAP reporting framework that could produce scientifically usable data; leveraging NASA’s existing Earth observation and space weather monitoring assets to detect anomalous phenomena; integrating civilian airspace data from the FAA and other agencies into UAP analysis pipelines; and establishing clear data sharing protocols between NASA, AARO, and other government entities.
The report identified the fundamental problem constraining UAP science: the absence of high-quality, calibrated sensor data from UAP events. Most UAP reports are visual observations without independent sensor confirmation. The study team’s recommendation was to fix the data collection infrastructure rather than debate existing anecdotal reports.
The Study Team Composition
The Independent Study Team consisted of 8–12 members appointed from US academic, independent, and commercial institutions. Members not classified as Regular Government Employees were designated Special Government Employees (SGE) or Representatives. The NASA Science Mission Directorate appointed the Chair and members for terms of up to one year. Diversity of thought was explicitly listed as a factor in determining composition.
How to Access
- Final Report PDF: science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/uap-independent-study-team-final-report.pdf
- Media Briefing (YouTube): youtu.be/eoY2sGo7ZiY
- Public Meeting recording (May 31, 2023, YouTube): youtube.com/watch?v=bQo08JRY0iM
- Announcement video (June 9, 2022): youtube.com/watch?v=qPQ05LWB0s0
- Terms of Reference (signed PDF): science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/UAPISTTermsofReference_Signed.pdf
- FAQ: science.nasa.gov/uap/faqs/
- UAP questions to: Daniel.A.Evans@nasa.gov
Source: science.nasa.gov/uap/. NASA UAP Independent Study Team Final Report, September 14, 2023. Page last updated February 23, 2026.