NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963
Official released audio
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963
NASA determined that the 'fireflies' seen by L. Gordon Cooper Jr. during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission are attributable to frozen condensation separating from the spacecraft body. File: NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963. NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 combines an official, playable audio, 8 extracted claims, 1 evidence record, and 1 timeline entry, and file-level provenance that can be compared with related release records.
- File
- Audio · Release 02
- Date
- May 15, 1963
- Location
- Low Earth Orbit
- Agency
- NASA
Probed Assessment
NASA determined that the 'fireflies' seen by L. Gordon Cooper Jr. during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission are attributable to frozen condensation separating from the spacecraft body. File: NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963.
Key takeaways
- The released record says the white, green-hued appearance of the 'fireflies' phenomenon results from sunlight reflecting off frozen condensation.
- NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 transcript includes a fireflies reference at 0:10.890
- NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 transcript includes a light-related observation at 2:48.690
Why it matters
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 combines an official, playable audio, 8 extracted claims, 1 evidence record, and 1 timeline entry, and file-level provenance that can be compared with related release records.
Corroboration
For NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963, the release establishes official provenance but does not independently verify the record's statement that NASA determined that the 'fireflies' seen by L. Gordon Cooper Jr. during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission are attributable to frozen condensation separating from the spacecraft body.
Open questions
- • Do the full recording and surrounding mission records add context beyond the 23 available transcript segments?
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
Approximately one hour and 41 minutes into the final and longest flight of Project Mercury, Mercury-Atlas 9 mission (MA-9) Faith 7 Pilot L. Gordon Cooper Jr. notes that he sees “John’s fireflies,” referring to John Glenn’s term from the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. NASA later determined that the “fireflies” are attributable to frozen condensation separating from the spacecraft body. The white, green-hued appearance of this phenomenon results from sunlight reflecting off frozen condensation.
Preserved verbatim as source metadata. This wording is separate from Probed’s file-specific description and assessment.
File Context
Related entities
Tracker findings
NASA determined that the 'fireflies' seen by L. Gordon Cooper Jr. during
The record states: NASA determined that the 'fireflies' seen by L. Gordon Cooper Jr. during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission are attributable to frozen condensation separating from the spacecraft body.
Release provenance
- Release
- Release 02
- Official ID
- release-02-file-059-nasa-uap-d010-mercury-atlas-9-audio-excerpt-may-15-1963
- Cleared
- May 22, 2026
Sighting Context
Stored occurrence and enrichment data for this released artifact. Missing or regional data stays explicit rather than being inferred.
Shape not classified
No grounded form data
Observation profile
Recorded occurrence details
- Occurrence
- Low Earth Orbit · May 15, 1963
- Location
- Low Earth Orbit
- Classification
- Not classified
Environmental, lunar, orbital, satellite, airport, and nearby-infrastructure context loads when this section approaches the viewport.
Referenced Timeline
Mercury-Atlas 9 Mission
L. Gordon Cooper Jr. notes seeing 'John’s fireflies' during the mission.
Source Claims
Claims are attributed to the released source and remain distinct from Probed’s assessment and tracker findings.
NASA determined that the 'fireflies' seen by L. Gordon Cooper Jr. during the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission are attributable to frozen condensation separating from the spacecraft body.
NASA later determined that the 'fireflies' are attributable to frozen condensation separating from the spacecraft body.
The white, green-hued appearance of the 'fireflies' phenomenon results from sunlight reflecting off frozen condensation.
The white, green-hued appearance of this phenomenon results from sunlight reflecting off frozen condensation.
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 transcript includes a light-related observation at 0:50.529.
[0:47.970] The sun is coming up behind me . I'm [0:50.529] beginning to get the glow on the clouds . [1:07.610] Fireflies appear to be white . Very
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 transcript includes a fireflies reference at 1:07.610.
[0:50.529] beginning to get the glow on the clouds . [1:07.610] Fireflies appear to be white . Very [1:10.919] whitish , uh , with almost a green like
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 transcript includes a light-related observation at 2:48.690.
[2:44.970] observing stars . Uh , the earth is [2:48.690] light below me . The sun is still [2:51.970] behind me . The sky looks dark above me ,
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 transcript includes a light-related observation at 1:47.897.
[1:45.730] Clouds on the earth below are changing [1:47.897] color . are getting quite light . [2:39.039] And I am now on the day side . The sun
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 transcript includes a fireflies reference at 1:13.690.
[1:10.919] whitish , uh , with almost a green like [1:13.690] rail fireflies . [1:45.730] Clouds on the earth below are changing
NASA-UAP-D010, Mercury Atlas 9 Audio Excerpt, May 15, 1963 transcript includes a fireflies reference at 0:10.890.
[0:07.409] minutes . And I am observing John's [0:10.890] fireflies . [0:15.810] away from me .
Source Material & Evidence
Transcript
Uh . And now at one hour at this
time . I now have 1 hour and 21
minutes . And I am observing John's
fireflies .
away from me .
I can observe them , uh . to be
departing from the spacecraft .
Drifting out to the rear . I can see
some of them . A considerable distance
out to the rear .
The sun is coming up behind me . I'm
beginning to get the glow on the clouds .
Fireflies appear to be white . Very
whitish , uh , with almost a green like
rail fireflies .
Clouds on the earth below are changing
color . are getting quite light .
And I am now on the day side . The sun
is not yet quite up , and I am
observing stars . Uh , the earth is
light below me . The sun is still
behind me . The sky looks dark above me ,
and I can see stars . Very distinctly .
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.