Documents / Official release
This information paper from the Department of Defense's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is dated December 2024 and was released in full in February 2025. It explains how sunlight reflecting off Starlink and other low Earth orbit satellites produces bright flares and satellite trains that observers can mistake for UAP. It gives step-by-step methods for predicting flare windows from the ground and from aircraft. It concludes that lights reported by an airline pilot near Gallup, New Mexico, in October 2022 were very likely satellite flares.
All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) 17 Summary Both diffuse and specular reflection of sunlight from satellites can explain some of the UAP reports received by AARO. Specular reflection from the mirrored panels and antennas on the satellite bus result in bright, short-lived flashes of light called “satellite flares.” Diffuse reflection from dozens of satellites launched in close spatial and temporal proximity by space-based communications companies, and particularly SpaceX, lead to “satellite trains.” These nighttime phenomena are the result of technological advances taken to proliferate global internet by placing thousands of satellites in LEO. This paper described these effects and provided references and processes, backed by examples, that can be used to predict or identify satellite flares. AARO anticipates that by equipping the reader with knowledge of this phenomena and the required information needed to deconflict satellite flares from UAP events, the quality of reports with supporting data and measurements will improve. Acronyms Acronym Definition AARO All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office LEO Low Earth Orbit LOS Line of Sight UAP Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena References [1] J. C. McDowell, "The Low Earth Orbit Satellite Population and Impacts of the SpaceX Starlink," The Astrophysical Journal Letters, p. L36, 2020. [2] R. Tousey, "VISIBILITY OF THE VANGUARD SATELLITE," in NRL Participation in the CSAGI Rocket and Satellite Conference, September 30-October 5, 1957, CA, OTS, U.S., Department of Commerce, 1959, p. 125. [3] SpaceX, "starlink.com," 2022. [Online]. Available: https://api.starlink.com/public- files/BrightnessMitigationBestPracticesSatelliteOperators.pdf. [4] N. D. James, "Iridium Satellites Light Up The Sky," Journal of the British Astronomical Association, vol. 108, no. 4, pp. 187-188, 1998. [5] "Sky News," 1 12 2022. [Online]. Available: https://news.sky.com/story/starlink-elon-musks- satellites-to-beam-high-speed-broadband-to-remote-areas-of-uk-in-government-trial- 12759097. [6] J. Hsu, "New Scientist," 4 10 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2394949-starlink-carbon-footprint-up-to-30-times-size- of-land-based-internet/.027Page determined to be Unclassified Reviewed by Chief of Staff, AARO IAW FY24 NDAA, Section 1841(a)(1)(C) Date: 2/14/2025
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Official release, from the nara collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 18 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.