NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962
Official released audio
NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962
The released record says during the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, Sigma 7 pilot Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr. describes observing 'little white objects that tend to come from the capsule itself and drift off.'. File: NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962. NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962 combines an official, playable audio, 11 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
- Oct 3, 1962
- Location
- Low Earth Orbit
- Agency
- NASA
Probed Assessment
The released record says during the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, Sigma 7 pilot Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr. describes observing 'little white objects that tend to come from the capsule itself and drift off.'. File: NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962.
Key takeaways
- The released record says schirra later refers to the observed objects as 'particles' and 'lathe shavings.'.
- The released record says schirra describes seeing a burst of light in the window, whose source he cannot identify.
- The released record says schirra speculates that his observation of the burst of light corresponds with the moment the sun passes below the horizon during sunset.
Why it matters
NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962 combines an official, playable audio, 11 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-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962, the release establishes official provenance but does not independently verify the record's statement that during the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, Sigma 7 pilot Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr. describes observing 'little white objects that tend to come from the capsule itself and drift off.'.
Open questions
- • Do the full recording and surrounding mission records add context beyond the 42 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
During the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, Sigma 7 pilot Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr. describes observing “little white objects that tend to come from the capsule itself and drift off.” Schirra later also refers to those objects as “particles” and “lathe shavings.” Schirra also describes seeing a burst of light in the window, whose source he cannot identify. He speculates that his observation corresponds with the moment the sun passes below the horizon during sunset.
Preserved verbatim as source metadata. This wording is separate from Probed’s file-specific description and assessment.
File Context
Related entities
Tracker findings
During the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, Sigma 7 pilot Walter M. “Wally” Schirra
The record states: During the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, Sigma 7 pilot Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr. describes observing 'little white objects that tend to come from the capsule itself and drift off.'
Release provenance
- Release
- Release 02
- Official ID
- release-02-file-061-nasa-uap-d012-mercury-atlas-8-audio-excerpt-october-3-1962
- Cleared
- May 22, 2026
Referenced Timeline
Mercury Atlas 8 mission observation
Walter M. 'Wally' Schirra Jr. observes unidentified objects and a burst of light during the mission.
Source Claims
Claims are attributed to the released source and remain distinct from Probed’s assessment and tracker findings.
During the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, Sigma 7 pilot Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr. describes observing 'little white objects that tend to come from the capsule itself and drift off.'
During the Mercury Atlas 8 mission, Sigma 7 pilot Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr. describes observing “little white objects that tend to come from the capsule itself and drift off.”
Schirra later refers to the observed objects as 'particles' and 'lathe shavings.'
Schirra later also refers to those objects as “particles” and “lathe shavings.”
Schirra describes seeing a burst of light in the window, whose source he cannot identify.
Schirra also describes seeing a burst of light in the window, whose source he cannot identify.
Schirra speculates that his observation of the burst of light corresponds with the moment the sun passes below the horizon during sunset.
He speculates that his observation corresponds with the moment the sun passes below the horizon during sunset.
NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962 transcript includes a light-related observation at 3:07.350.
[2:22.370] this point and it's really not usable . [3:07.350] Getting a real burst of light in the [3:09.860] window , and I really don't know what
NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962 transcript includes a light-related observation at 1:19.830.
[1:07.180] all three axes . [1:19.830] I still have light in the periscope , [1:22.379] of course . I'm looking straight up and
NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962 transcript includes a particle or fragment reference at 1:54.279.
[1:51.050] As a result , I I notice that these [1:54.279] particles keep tending aft of me [1:57.080] relative to me at any time .
NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962 transcript includes an unidentified-object reference at 0:08.979.
[0:05.659] And also I have uh , the little white [0:08.979] objects that seem to come from the [0:11.300] capsule itself . And drift off
NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962 transcript includes an unidentified-object reference at 0:32.639.
[0:28.659] is neither It is one of [0:32.639] the white objects . [0:38.060] two stars are staying quite still . The
NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962 transcript includes an unidentified-object reference at 0:41.450.
[0:38.060] two stars are staying quite still . The [0:41.450] white object actually looked like it [0:43.506] came toward me . But it wasn't .
NASA-UAP-D012, Mercury Atlas 8 Audio Excerpt, October 3, 1962 transcript includes a particle or fragment reference at 0:49.830.
[0:43.506] came toward me . But it wasn't . [0:49.830] You can actually see the particle there [0:53.060] flying off , and as John described it
Source Material & Evidence
Transcript
There are some pretty stars in sight .
And also I have uh , the little white
objects that seem to come from the
capsule itself . And drift off
And if they are a yaw check , it's
fantastic . I suspect that the star I
see is Arcturus
It'll be they're very interesting . It
is neither It is one of
the white objects .
two stars are staying quite still . The
white object actually looked like it
came toward me . But it wasn't .
You can actually see the particle there
flying off , and as John described it
as a lathe shaving . It's a very good
description of it .
My rates are now just about 0 in
all three axes .
I still have light in the periscope ,
of course . I'm looking straight up and
yet at this point . That my
attitude is
I get on the couch here , I really
can't pick it too well , you know .
Just about inverted at this point .
And that , my nose is above the horizon .
As a result , I I notice that these
particles keep tending aft of me
relative to me at any time .
Periscope is blacking out rather
rapidly . At sunset .
It's almost blacked out completely at
this point and it's really not usable .
Getting a real burst of light in the
window , and I really don't know what
it is . At this point , I should be
coming up on the sunset . 5 hours and
15 minutes . The
periscope is dark . I must be just
getting a last look at the horizon ,
yet I'm not down on it .
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.