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NASA-UAP-D002, Apollo 17 Transcript, 1972

The released record says harrison Schmitt observed a flash on the lunar surface north of Grimaldi (crater). File: NASA-UAP-D002, Apollo 17 Transcript, 1972. NASA-UAP-D002, Apollo 17 Transcript, 1972 combines an official, downloadable document, 7 extracted claims, 2 evidence records, and 7 timeline entries across 16 source pages, and file-level provenance that can be compared with related release records.

File
Document · Release 01
Date
1972
Location
Moon
Extent
16 pages

Probed Assessment

The released record says harrison Schmitt observed a flash on the lunar surface north of Grimaldi (crater). File: NASA-UAP-D002, Apollo 17 Transcript, 1972.

Key takeaways

  • The released record says ronald Evans reported observing 'very bright particles or fragments' drifting and 'tumbling' near the spacecraft.
  • The released record says cernan described an intense light flashing between his eyes, comparable to a train headlight.
  • The released record says the astronauts speculated that the phenomenon may be attributable to ice or paint fragments dislodging from a separated component of the spacecraft (S-IVB).

Why it matters

NASA-UAP-D002, Apollo 17 Transcript, 1972 combines an official, downloadable document, 7 extracted claims, 2 evidence records, and 7 timeline entries across 16 source pages, and file-level provenance that can be compared with related release records.

Corroboration

For NASA-UAP-D002, Apollo 17 Transcript, 1972, the release establishes official provenance but does not independently verify the record's statement that harrison Schmitt observed a flash on the lunar surface north of Grimaldi (crater).

Open questions

  • Which companion records, if any, independently corroborate the source claims extracted from this 16-page document?

Probed separates this editorial assessment from the source claims below. It summarizes what the released artifact supports; it is not independent verification.

Official Description from War.gov

Apollo 17 was the ninth crewed U.S. mission to the Moon, and the sixth to land astronauts on the lunar surface. This document is an excerpt from the Apollo 17 Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription, December 1972, highlighting three periods in which astronauts reported observing unidentified phenomenon: a nine minute period on the first day, a three hour period on the second day, and a six minute period on the third day. • Day 00, Hour 03, Minute 34, Second 10 through Day 00, Hour 03, Minute 42, Second 29: o Command Module Pilot (CMP), Ronald Evans, reported observing “very bright particles or fragments” drifting and “tumbling” near the spacecraft as it maneuvered. Lunar Module Pilot (LMP), Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, described the phenomenon as looking “like the Fourth of July.” The astronauts speculated that the phenomenon may be attributable to ice or paint fragments dislodging from a separated component of the spacecraft (S-IVB) but characterized that assessment as a “wild guess.” • Day 02, Hour 18, Minute 42, Second 34 through Day 02, Hour 21, Minute 07, Second 05: o Mission Commander, Eugene A. Cernan, reported difficulty sleeping and described having observed “some sets of the streaks.” He also described an intense light flashing between his eyes, describing its intensity as comparable to that of a train headlight and characterizing it as “imposing.” Over the next three hours, Cernan described observing several flashing, rotating phenomenon that he assessed as corresponding to physical objects in space rather than a purely optical phenomenon. LMP Schmitt also reported observing similar phenomenon, though he again assessed the source of his observation to be a separated rocket stage (S-IVB). At 02:20:55:22, Cernan reported observing two additional distant flashing objects, though he assessed them as Spacecraft/Lunar Module Adapter panels (SLA panel), another separated component of the Saturn V rocket. • Day 03, Hour 15, Minute 33, Second 25 through Day 03, Hour 15, Minute 39, Second 46: o At 03:15:38:09, LMP Schmitt exclaimed that he had observed a flash on the lunar surface north of Grimaldi (crater).

Preserved verbatim as source metadata. This wording is separate from Probed’s file-specific description and assessment.

File Context

Related entities

13

Tracker findings

2

Cernan observed several flashing, rotating phenomena that he assessed

The released document states that cernan observed several flashing, rotating phenomena that he assessed as corresponding to physical objects in space.

Cernan reported two additional distant flashing objects

The released document states that cernan reported observing two additional distant flashing objects, assessed as Spacecraft/Lunar Module Adapter panels (SLA panel).

Release provenance

Release
Release 01
Official ID
release-01-file-139-nasa-uap-d002-apollo-17-transcript-1972
Cleared
May 8, 2026
Official release source

Referenced Timeline

  1. Page 1

    Observation of bright particles or fragments

    Ronald Evans reported observing 'very bright particles or fragments' drifting and 'tumbling' near the spacecraft.

  2. Page 1

    First observation period

    Ronald Evans reported observing bright particles or fragments.

  3. Page 5

    Observation of streaks and intense light

    Eugene A. Cernan reported difficulty sleeping and described having observed 'some sets of the streaks' and an intense light flashing between his eyes.

  4. Page 5

    Second observation period

    Eugene A. Cernan observed streaks and intense light.

  5. Page 16

    Third observation period

    Harrison 'Jack' Schmitt observed a flash on the lunar surface.

  6. Page 16

    Flash observed on lunar surface

    Harrison Schmitt observed a flash on the lunar surface north of Grimaldi (crater).

  7. Apollo 17 mission

    Apollo 17 was the ninth crewed U.S. mission to the Moon.

Source Claims

Claims are attributed to the released source and remain distinct from Probed’s assessment and tracker findings.

Reported by source5Source inference2
Source reportedObservedPage 16

Harrison Schmitt observed a flash on the lunar surface north of Grimaldi (crater).

a flash on the lunar surface! CC Oh, yes? LMP It was just out there north of Grimaldi.

Source reportedObservedPage 1

Ronald Evans reported observing very bright particles or fragments drifting near the spacecraft.

it. CMP Now we've got a few very bright particles ments or something that go drifting by as

Source reportedAssertedPage 5

Cernan described an intense light flashing between his eyes, comparable to a train headlight.

my eyes like a very bright headlight - like a train coming at you, only with a flash. It's

InferenceAssertedPage 2

The astronauts speculated that the phenomenon may be attributable to ice or paint fragments dislodging from a separated component of the spacecraft (S-IVB).

of the S-IVB. And that's a wild guess CDR Okay. RCS LOGIC is ... - - CMP - - ice chunks, possibly. Or maybe there's paint coming off of

LinkedS-IVB
Source reportedObservedPage 11

Cernan reported observing two additional distant flashing objects, assessed as Spacecraft/Lunar Module Adapter panels (SLA panel).

We got two of those flashers out there. They could be SLA panels. I don’t know. They’re alike in intensity and pretty regular in the intensity, bright and dim flashes.

InferenceAssertedPage 9

Schmitt assessed the source of his observation to be a separated rocket stage (S-IVB).

We’ve been noticing that, I think, for about 24 hours or so. I just hadn’t put it together as maybe being the S-IVB. I thought it was just some other particle out there.

LinkedS-IVB
Source reportedAssertedPage 7

Gene Cernan described a distant, rotating object that flashed and was clearly different from nearby particles.

It is a - it is a bright object, and it's obviously rotating because it's flashing. It's way out in the distance, as I say, because there are particles that are close by and it's obviously not one of those.

Source Material & Evidence

document

Apollo 17 Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription

RELEASE-01-FILE-140-NASA-UAP-D2-APOLLO-17-TRANSCRIPT-1972

document

Apollo 17 Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription

NASA-UAP-D002, Apollo 17 Transcript, 1972

Research Map

13 entities · 3 grounded links

Lines appear only when two entities share a row-level source claim or dated timeline event. Unconnected nodes remain visible without implying a relationship.

UAP/Disclosure Graph
13 nodes3 links