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Elon Musk named in UFO report as people keep on making the same mistake

Home> Technology> Space

Published 15:51 15 Nov 2024 GMT

Elon Musk named in UFO report as people keep on making the same mistake

Elon Musk's SpaceX was namedropped in the report on UAPs

Ellie Kemp

Ellie Kemp

Elon Musk has been named in The Pentagon's latest UFO report which has revealed hundreds of new unidentified and unexplained aerial phenomena (UAP) sightings.

Its publication comes a day after White House legislators called for greater government transparency during a hearing on unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs – the government’s term for UFOs.

Hundreds of cases of misidentified everyday objects, as well as some that defy easy explanation, are included in the report.

One such incident includes as a near-miss between a commercial airliner and a mysterious object off the coast of New York.

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Investigators found explanations for nearly 300 UAP sightings and in many cases, the unknown objects were found to be balloons, birds, aircraft, drones or satellites.

One of Elon Musk's SpaceX projects has been causing confusion (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)
One of Elon Musk's SpaceX projects has been causing confusion (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

And according to the report, Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system is an increasingly common source of confusion, as people mistake chains of satellites for UFOs.

The satellites provide high-speed internet access to customers across 100 countries, including the US, UK and Australia.

Starlink uses small low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, positioned just 340 miles above surface level - so it's no wonder there are so many sightings.

In comparison, geostationary satellites favored by traditional internet providers sit at an altitude of around 22,236 miles.

There are currently more than 6,500 Starlink satellites above us, with another 24 launched into orbit by SpaceX earlier this week.

Starlink satellites passage spotted in the sky, similar to those people have mistaken for UFOs (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Starlink satellites passage spotted in the sky, similar to those people have mistaken for UFOs (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

In the past, people have taken to Reddit to share their own Starlink satellite sightings.

On the Starlink subreddit, one American shared a video of a string of lights twinkling in the sky - similar to the photo above.

"Just saw Starlink and thought it was a goddamn UFO lmao," they added.

One person ominously responded: "It was a UFO...until you identified it as Starlink," as a second said: "It really is mind blowing. We are just so not used to something that far away and directly above us. It kind of plays tricks with your mind the first time you see it."

Starlink satellites spotted over Uruguay (MARIANA SUAREZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Starlink satellites spotted over Uruguay (MARIANA SUAREZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Others shared their own experiences of mistaking Starlink for UAPs, as one person shared: "Same I'm doordashing in Detroit. Just pulled over and was 1000% sure we were being invaded."

A second said: "We just saw it in Colorado. Out stargazing the telescope with my son. He saw it, and screamed 'WHAT IS THAT WHAT IS THAT' while crying. I thought we were all going to die before I realized it was Starlink."

A third added: "Saw in Athens TX last week. It was way brighter than the video lets on."

SpaceX previously said it plans to launch some 42,000 satellites in the future - so we could be seeing plenty more light up the night sky.

Featured Image Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/Kevin Carter/Getty Images

Topics: Elon Musk, UFO, Starlink, Space X, Aliens, Space

Ellie Kemp
Ellie Kemp

Ellie joined UNILAD in 2024, specialising in SEO and trending content. She moved from Reach PLC where she worked as a senior journalist at the UK’s largest regional news title, the Manchester Evening News. She also covered TV and entertainment for national brands including the Mirror, Star and Express. In her spare time, Ellie enjoys watching true crime documentaries and curating the perfect Spotify playlist.

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@EllieKempOnline

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