NASA-UAP-D007, Skylab Techincal Crew Debriefing 1973
The released record says we saw light flashes. I think all of us saw them. File: NASA-UAP-D007, Skylab Techincal Crew Debriefing 1973. NASA-UAP-D007, Skylab Techincal Crew Debriefing 1973 combines an official, downloadable document, 7 extracted claims, 7 evidence records, and 8 timeline entries across 11 source pages, and file-level provenance that can be compared with related release records.
- File
- Document · Release 01
- Date
- 1973
- Extent
- 11 pages
- Agency
- NASA
Search This File
Probed Assessment
The released record says we saw light flashes. I think all of us saw them. File: NASA-UAP-D007, Skylab Techincal Crew Debriefing 1973.
Key takeaways
- The released record says this bright reddish object was out there and we tracked it for about 5 or 10 minutes.
- The released record says one other area of unusual events that we reported on the dump tapes was that on occasion we saw some lights flashing outside with very a definite motion relative to ours.
- The released record says owen Garriott claims the Skylab 3 crew observed a bright reddish object that was much brighter than Jupiter or any other planets.
Why it matters
NASA-UAP-D007, Skylab Techincal Crew Debriefing 1973 combines an official, downloadable document, 7 extracted claims, 7 evidence records, and 8 timeline entries across 11 source pages, and file-level provenance that can be compared with related release records.
Corroboration
For NASA-UAP-D007, Skylab Techincal Crew Debriefing 1973, the release establishes official provenance but does not independently verify the record's statement that we saw light flashes. I think all of us saw them.
Open questions
- • Which companion records, if any, independently corroborate the source claims extracted from this 11-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
Launched on May 14, 1973, Skylab was the United States’ first laboratory in space. From 1973 to 1974, the station was visited by three crews. This document contains excerpts from all three crews to visit the station. In the first excerpt taken from Skylab 1/2 [first crew] Technical Debriefing from June 30, 1973, highlights crew observations of light flashes. The second excerpt taken from Skylab 1/3 Technical Crew Debriefing from October 4, 1973, highlights two observations—a satellite in similar orbit and another object with a “reddish hue to it.” The final excerpt taken from the Skylab 1/4 Technical Crew Debriefing from February 22, 1974, highlights an observation of flashing lights outside Skylab. • Skylab 2 crew observation: o Page 23-20. [Science Pilot for Skylab 2, Joesph Kerwin] “We saw light flashes. I think all of us saw them. I saw them most often when I was in the sack at night with my eyes closed but awake naturally. They tended to wax and wane in frequency.” • Skylab 3 crew observations: o Page 7-4. [Science Pilot for Skylab 3, Owen Garriott] “We saw that satellite about a week before splashdown. That was one of the most unusual things that we saw and I guess Jack [Lousma] noticed it looking out the window. This bright reddish object was out there and we tracked it for about 5 or 10 minutes. It was obviously a satellite in a very similar orbit to our own.” o Page 20-1. [Science Pilot for Skylab 3, Owen Garriott] “Jack [Lousma] first noticed this rather large red star out the wardroom window. Upon close examination, it was much brighter than Jupiter or any of the other planets. It had a reddish hue to it, even though it was well above the horizon.” • Skylab 4 crew observation o Page 7-8. [Commander for Skylab 4, Gerald P. Carr] “One other area of unusual events that we reported on the dump tapes was that on occasion we saw some lights flashing outside with very a definite motion relative to ours. We presumed that they were other pieces of Skylab, or possibly other satellites.”
Preserved verbatim as source metadata. This wording is separate from Probed’s file-specific description and assessment.
File Context
Related entities
Tracker findings
This bright reddish object was out there and we tracked it for about 5 or 10 minutes
The released document states that this bright reddish object was out there and we tracked it for about 5 or 10 minutes.
Release provenance
- Release
- Release 01
- Official ID
- release-01-file-145-nasa-uap-d007-skylab-techincal-crew-debriefing-1973
- Cleared
- May 8, 2026
Referenced Timeline
Skylab Launch
Skylab was launched as the United States’ first laboratory in space.
Skylab 1/2 Technical Debriefing
Debriefing of the first crew's observations, including light flashes.
LinkedSkylab 1/2Skylab 1/2 Technical Debriefing
Crew observations of light flashes were highlighted.
LinkedSkylab 1/2Skylab 1/3 Technical Crew Debriefing
Debriefing of the second crew's observations, including a satellite and another object with a reddish hue.
LinkedSkylab 1/3Skylab 1/3 Technical Crew Debriefing
Observations of a satellite and a reddish object were highlighted.
LinkedSkylab 1/3Skylab 1/4 Technical Crew Debriefing
Debriefing of the third crew's observations, including flashing lights outside Skylab.
LinkedSkylab 1/4Skylab 1/4 Technical Crew Debriefing
Observation of flashing lights outside Skylab was highlighted.
LinkedSkylab 1/4
Source Claims
Claims are attributed to the released source and remain distinct from Probed’s assessment and tracker findings.
We saw light flashes. I think all of us saw them.
We saw light flashes. I think all of us saw them.
This bright reddish object was out there and we tracked it for about 5 or 10 minutes.
This bright reddish object was out there and we tracked it for about 5 or 10 minutes.
One other area of unusual events that we reported on the dump tapes was that on occasion we saw some lights flashing outside with very a definite motion relative to ours.
One other area of unusual events that we reported on the dump tapes was that on occasion we saw some lights flashing outside with very a definite motion relative to ours.
Owen Garriott claims the Skylab 3 crew observed a bright reddish object that was much brighter than Jupiter or any other planets.
Jack [Lousma] first noticed this rather large red star out the wardroom window. Upon close examination, it was much brighter than Jupiter or any of the other planets.
The fact that one or two of them appeared to be tumbling was apparently due to the oscillation of the light flashes that we were getting from them.
The fact that one or two of them appeared to be tumbling was apparently due to the oscillation of the light flashes that we were getting from them.
In doing T002, I had on other occasions, at least once or twice, seen other satellites although they appeared as star points of light.
In doing T002, I had on other occasions, at least once or twice, seen other satellites although they appeared as star points of light.
Joseph Kerwin, Science Pilot for Skylab 2, claims the crew observed light flashes during their mission.
We saw light flashes. I think all of us saw them. I saw them most often when I was in the sack at night with my eyes closed but awake naturally. They tended to wax and wane in frequency.
Source Material & Evidence
Skylab 1/2 Technical Crew Debriefing
JSC-08053
Skylab 1/3 Technical Crew Debriefing
JSC-08478
Skylab 1/4 Technical Crew Debriefing
JSC-08809
Skylab 2 crew observation of light flashes
Joseph Kerwin, Science Pilot for Skylab 2
Skylab 3 crew observation of a satellite
Owen Garriott, Science Pilot for Skylab 3
Skylab 3 crew observation of a bright reddish object
Owen Garriott, Science Pilot for Skylab 3
Skylab 4 crew observation of flashing lights
Gerald P. Carr, Commander for Skylab 4
Research Map
Lines appear only when two entities share a row-level source claim or dated timeline event. Unconnected nodes remain visible without implying a relationship.