ICA-UAP-D001, Analysis: Colorado Springs UAP Incident, 2022
This document contains analysis by an All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) Intelligence Community (IC) partner to account for a 2022 incident involving an airborne object near Colorado Springs, Colorado. U.S. military service members reported the incident to AARO in 2023. AARO’s IC partner assessed, with low confidence, that the reported phenomenon, which observers characterized as resembling an “angular, non-symmetrical potato,” was attributable to sunlight backscattering, where sunlight reflecting from mountain snow cover illuminated the underside of low-altitude clouds. This low-confidence assessment contributes to AARO’s consideration of the incident, which remains unresolved as of June 2026.
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Document Intel
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- Source
- War.gov PURSUE
- Type
- Report
- Classification
- Unclassified
- Agency
- Intelligence Community Agency
- Reference #
- RELEASE-03-FILE-010-ICA-UAP-D001-ANALYSIS-COLORADO-SPRINGS-UAP-INCIDENT-2022
- Published
- 2026-06-12
- Content Type
- application/pdf
- Pages
- 4
Structured Analysis
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An airborne object over Cheyenne Mountain in February 2022 was possible backscattering of sunlight.
An airborne object over Cheyenne Mountain in February 2022 was possible backscattering of sunlight.
The object was observed by five U.S. Army service members at Fort Carson, Colorado at 0935 MNT on 15 February 2022.
An airborne object over Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado /was observed by five U.S. Army service members at Fort Carson, /Colorado at 0935 MNT on 15 February 2022.
The object was described as resembling an angular, non-symmetrical potato.
The witnesses describe the object as roughly the size of a large /jet and resembling an angular, non-symmetrical potato made of /uneven panels.
The object was completely stationary about 300-500 feet above Cheyenne Mountain while slowly changing shape.
which was completely stationary about 300-500 feet /above Cheyanne Mountain while slowly changing shape.
The object had a slightly translucent, shimmering white appearance, with defined edges and a milky shimmer that reflected sunlight.
It had a /slightly translucent, shimmering white appearance, with defined /edges and a milky shimmer that reflected sunlight.
The sun was positioned at an altitude of about 27.5 over the horizon in the southeast sky at 0945 MST on February 15, 2022.
At 0945 MST on February 15, 2022, in Colorado Springs, /the sun was positioned at an altitude of about 27.5 over the /horizon in the southeast sky.
Snow depth on Cheyenne Mountain likely ranged from 6 to 12 inches.
According historical the National Water and Climate Center /reporting, snow depth on Cheyenne Mountain likely ranged from 6 to /12 inches.
The skies were partly to mostly cloudy that morning despite witnesses reporting clear, blue skies.
Although witnesses reported clear, blue skies, multiple /weather reports, including those from AFWA and Weather Underground, /indicated the presence of clouds, suggesting that the skies were /partly to mostly cloudy that morning.
No aircraft or balloons were noted active in or around Cheyenne Mountain during the time the witnesses saw the airborne object.
No aircraft or balloons were noted active in or around /Cheyenne Mountain during the time the witnesses saw the airborne /object.
Chronology extracted from the document text.
Observation of Airborne Object
An airborne object was observed by five U.S. Army service members over Cheyenne Mountain.
Sun Positioning
The sun was positioned at an altitude of about 27.5 over the horizon in the southeast sky.
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