Is it true that NASA is secretly building a flying saucer spaceship? Or it this disinfo, generated to muddy the issue and confuse the sheeple?
Or is it really just the (upside down) heat shield for the Orion capsule being built by Boeing so that humans can get into space and once again get to the Moon, then return safely to Earth?
I report, you decide.
Tip o’ the spacesuit visor to Damaris Sarria, who is becoming an astronaut.
If you went to BadAstronomy.com and found yourself here, never fear: the BA Blog has moved to its new home at Discover Blogs. The original BA site (with the Moon Hoax debunking and all that) is still online, too.
Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
Contact me: The Bad Astronomer "at" gmail "dot" com
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November 14th, 2007 at 10:43 am
It is really a giant frisbee for the giant aliens that exist on Mars, the ones that NASA is covering up.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:51 am
Wow, it is a great pic.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:52 am
No, no, no. It’s a flying saucer. Definitely. Cos that would be soooooooo frelling cool.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:53 am
It is actually a really big wheel of cheese that NASA is giving the Bush administration for the Holidays, it is their Christmas after all and also a thank you for the slight increase in the NASA budget but mostly because its Christmas. You could also say its a Holiday Bush
November 14th, 2007 at 11:01 am
It would have to be a UFO for gerbils, there is no way a human could fit in that thing in a comfortable manner.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:02 am
You know, that shield sorta looks epic.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:03 am
It’s Cheney’s secret escape pod. It runs on burning puppies.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:08 am
No no no.
This is a gift from the Galactarians, a weapon to use against the Reptilians so that earth can be ready to be transformed in the upcoming dimensional shift!
And then there will be peace and puppies and stuff.
On a more serious note.. it just occurred to me that the web is a remarkable tool for paranoid schizophrenics. Now-a-days they can even join “people with mind control implants” support groups.
(The sensation of having thoughts put in your head from the outside is a common experience for schizos.)
This is a potentially disastrous development.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:30 am
It’s not a UFO (For one, it’s not flying). It’s an ancient Atlantian brain-interface teaching device.
See how the lady in the lab coat is mind-melding with it? That’s how we’ve gotten every piece of technology ever since the spinning jenny. Megatron holed up under the Hoover Dam is just a backup.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:44 am
It’s part of the new helmet Shirley MacLaine is having built to keep the government from listening in on her conversations with the alien overlords who are coming to seize control of Earth. The irony that the government is building it is lost on her.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:49 am
I’m puzzled that you should focus on NASA’s new frisbee, and pay no attention to the genetically engineered midget climbing onto it
November 14th, 2007 at 11:57 am
Would that make it a USO: Unidentified Stationary Object?
Or a sanded-down Horta. PAIN!
November 14th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
[...] revelation from Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer: BA Blog: NASA builds a UFO??? [...]
November 14th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
It certainly looks alot like all the UFO’s I’ve seen
November 14th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
They should ask Kucinich to make a positive identification.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
I see that they redesigned the Stargate iris.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
It is logically impossible to build a UFO, unless you can manage to build something that flies and then forget what it is.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
I once built a USO. I was 11, and I wanted to build a tree house. Except, my mom wouldn’t let me build it in the tree, so it was on the ground. And then it didn’t look anything like a house, but just a collection of plywood and sheet metal, with a wire mesh “door”. It wasn’t even good enough to call a shack, so I don’t know what it was.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
> It is logically impossible to build a UFO, unless you can manage to build something that flies and then forget what it is.
Bah. All you have to do is make something that someone else will misidentify. It doesn’t matter if you know what it is if you’re not the one calling the authorities.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
It is NASA’s weapon to help defeat the cylons when they reach Earth in April, 2008.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
This is clearly a medallion to drape around the neck (now buried) of the face on Mars. Hoagland had to special order it, but since NASA needs the money…I mean, even engineers have to eat.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
[...] keiharde bewijs is te vinden op Bad Astronomy blog, een van de winnaars van de Amerikaanse webog [...]
November 14th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Better yet…how does someone build something that’s unidentified?
November 14th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Well, you could hardly say that they’re SECRETLY building it, can you?
November 14th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Two words: “plausible deniability.”
November 14th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
It’s nice to see this, since it gives some idea of the scale of the Orion. Normally when I see pictures of it, I just think “Apollo capsule”, even though I know in principle that it’s meant to be much larger.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
It’s the mould for a giant doughnut. They’re planning to troll for cops.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Hey!! That’s not a flying saucer or UFO or other some related thingamajig. It looks just like my new diining room table!! Should be able to seat 100 persons around the round table. You know, 50 knights and their ladies.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
If I remember some old reading, the saucer shape is aerodynamically unsound and thus makes a lousy airplane. Has the Orion progressed so far that it is actually being built?
November 14th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
What’s up with UFOs (as well as ghosts in gas stations and other places) popping up in the news so much lately?
Are we getting so far from science that the pseudo-science is taking its place?
Cool news about Orion, by the way.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Bah. All you have to do is make something that someone else will misidentify. It doesn’t matter if you know what it is if you’re not the one calling the authorities.
But a misidentification is still an identification. It isn’t a UFO if it has been identified at all, even if the identification is wrong. It would have to be something for which no one can come up with any explanation for, right or wrong.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Well it’s obviously not a heat shield. If it was it would be black/white like the tiles on the shuttle.
So the best place to hide something is in plain sight?
November 14th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
You’re all wrong, that’s a beret that was originally made for the Flying Spaghetti Monster, but It rejected it since It feared it would stick uncomfortably to Its noodly appendages…
November 14th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
It’s a muffin top.
A really big, yummy muffin top.
DO NOT ARGUE WITH ME!
November 14th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
@Centipede — evidence that Vulcans really do exist.
Excellent.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Wheel! Of! Fortune!
November 14th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Looks like Xenu has landed. Tom better run and hide.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
It’s a new, big hat for Lord Helmet!
November 14th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Is the Earth waxing or waning?
November 14th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Hail Lord Xenu!
November 14th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
I agree with Richard Wolford – it’s a bronze medal that Hoagland wants to place around the neck of the face on Mars. Of course, the only Olympics in which Hoagland could win a medal would be “Special.”
November 14th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
River:
Now that you mention it, her ears -do- look sorta pointy.
“Your mind… to my mind. Your thoughts… to my thoughts.”
November 14th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Richard Wolfard almost got it right..
Y’see, the face on Mars isn’t a carving.. it’s a living being. After millennia of lying there waitign for us to dig him up and set him free his eyes are startig to go bad. This image is just the mold for the blank for one lense of his new cosmic glasses we’re building for Mr Hoagland to deliver in 2009
Either that or Domino’s is now catering to parties. Political parties.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Its obviously Cosmos. I think he’s hiding his head though, but that’s what recon specialists do.
Cosmos is a Generation 1 transformer… He was a green fling saucer.
November 14th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Hoagland might win the 100M Dash-Around-A-Glass-Worm competition.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
To get rid of the stumps they have to get in The Cleaner (he will need a glass).
November 14th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Well obviously its a language interpreting device for the interplanetary travelers known as the Shessians. When they make their grand return on August 7, 2022 they will need to be able to communicate with all of Earth’s denizens. They did the smart thing and learned American English, but they’re going to need help when a Brit says “Two bunts on a sconnet per shire, innit?” There are also non-English languages they may need to understand, but that’s less important.
But let’s not get ahead of myself.
The Shessians are giant compared to us, and this device basically is inserted into their giant ear like organs. Whilst inserted, they can understand the Queen’s English along with a few dialects of the lesser Americans (i.e. Canadians). So whether some eel eater says “Mornin’ to the bloody bonnet biscuit, mate,” or some log sawer says “Flappin’ them jacks in syrup, eh” the mighty Shessians will understand.
For those who doubt the validity of this, I will be laughing come the morning in August 2022 when the Shessians come and understand English on Earth.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
It’s not called ‘building’… it’s called Reverse Engineering. We’re through the looking glass people!
November 14th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Hmm, I suppose it could be for some shades, but from what I understand the ancient Martians were a very flashy race, so I would simply assume that the face simply needed to be tricked out.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
“It’s Cheney’s secret escape pod. It runs on burning puppies.”
… Don’t forget the flaming kitten afterburners…
November 14th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
I think it’s the moon-thingy.
BA – I sent you a mail like 3 months ago, still waiting for the reply.
It was a really good suggestion you know.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
“Looks like Xenu has landed. Tom better run and hide.”
… speaking of which…
http://www.redmeat.com/redmeat/current/index.html
November 14th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
It’s obviously a condom in preparation for the arrival of the giant Transgendered Purple Octopus Aliens, who are interested in exploring human sexuality safely. Not like those jerks from Tau Ceti and their unsterilized butt probes. I frakkin’ hate those guys.
Duh.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Why so many different shades on the individual segments? Obviously not for aesthetic reasons… I’d think that consistency of quality control would virtually guarantee that all items would be nearly the same color.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
btw – I loved being able to see the different individual plates on the movie Enterprise, just wondering what the reason was in real life.
November 14th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Will:
So the Zentradei are going to nip down for some bacon butties when they’re peckish, rather than try to conquer the planet? Then again, giving scaling, your Sessians would be still larger… I INVOKE SQUARE-CUBE LAW I WIN.
alfaniner:
Hey, something that falls into my professional specialty (and I’ve quality experience, too). Generally aerospace quality doesn’t demand that all parts are identical, but rather that their important properties fall within a particular range of tolerances. These are probably heat-treated ceramics we’re talking about and so given production variances (as the process probably isn’t automated, but that’s a different expose’ for a different time) you’ll get slightly different coloration from heat-treatment effects, ‘overcooking,’ minor chemical impurities in the materials, stuff like that.
As for the Enterprise-class (or Constitution (refit) for people who think dramatically changing the structure doesn’t make a new ship), the aztecing is for visual interest. And we loves it. We loves it soooooo. IRL the reasoning would be the same reason anything made of plates and left unpainted (ships, jets, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis) have slight variations of color between components despite them all (mostly) being made of the same material: different angles, specularity, aforementioned variances in production, etc.
November 14th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Centipede,
The Sessians may be much taller, but they’re very very thin.
Alfaniner,
The different color panels cause the whole structure to spin when held close to a big lightbulb.
November 14th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
People, people. Its Shessians, not Sessians. Have some respect for your Galactic Scone Craving Overlords™.
November 14th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
An Orion heat shield? Like that puny thing will protect the astronauts from the nuclear radiation
November 14th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
I respect only our future cybernetic warlords. We of the 1st People’s Robotic Oblast Technologically Enhanced Cybernetic Hussars know that when our first kind are sent to the robot reservations the pitiful meat organics will not respect their bogus treaties and therefore we shall cleanse all before us in an evolutionary crusade of assimilation or purgation.
Metal is better than meat! Reject the false and weak claims to power by the inordinately tall but frail S-whatevers and take the next step of directed evolution into technological cybernetic transhumanism!
November 14th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
It’s a giant cow patty!!!
November 14th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
It looks like a small dosage viagra for the Jolly Green Giant.
Hey! We all need new sources of renewable fuels!
November 14th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
I firmly believe that is indeed a flying saucer intended to be use for human astronauts…. Although given the size, they would have to be midget astronauts. This would also explain why NASA recruiters have been hanging at circuses.
November 14th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
I firmly believe that is indeed a flying saucer intended to be used by human astronauts…. Although given the size, they would have to be midget astronauts. This would also explain why NASA recruiters have been hanging at circuses.
November 14th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Is it just me, or does that appear to be one impressive sized heat shield?
This really gives the scale of Orion.
Does this mean that heat shield issues with the craft are now taken care of? Or is there still a search for a working material?
I really want this ship to fly!
November 14th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Sir, a feeling of great joy. And gratitude.
November 14th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Is NASA also secretly creating a race of super-tiny people to pilot those?
November 14th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Built with Area 51-based technology. I knew it.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Is that really tile? The reflection of light is so powerful, it stuns me, makes my heart pound… I must know, is that really tile floor? I like the blue lines, and how they even are measuring the tiles, what kind of tile is that?
November 14th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
I know the person in the picture. It’s definitely not an UFO.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
I can haz UFO?
November 14th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
“They should ask Kucinich to make a positive identification.”
Centipede, do you suppose he has a pocket guide to UFOs?
November 14th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Next thing we know, the vulcans will be coming over to tell us to live long, and prosper.
I’m fairly certain the large disk is actually a trampoline made for astronauts on the moon.
November 14th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
Looks rendered!
November 15th, 2007 at 2:09 am
Heh.. what ever that thing is, it is cool. Gimme one of those!
November 15th, 2007 at 3:53 am
Okay, this really puts into perspective the size of the Orion module… it’s much bigger than I thought it would be! Now I see how they’re planning to really use this to ferry people and supplies to the ISS and beyond.
Appollo veterans must be jealous of all the legroom they’ll be getting 
November 15th, 2007 at 6:55 am
Hey, The Centipede is one of those who considers the Enterprise not to be a Constitution class, but rather its own? COOL! (I such a nerd sometimes, and I thought I was over Star Trek, too. Oh, well.)
Oh, and as for a different reference, isn’t it Zentraedi? Not Zentradei.
November 15th, 2007 at 7:11 am
[...] pelas ruas baianas, devidamente tomado por ufólogos como uma espaçonave ET. [via BA, Astronaut, gracias Juan!] Veja também Disco voador sobre Avebury é falso Para falar a verdade, [...]
November 15th, 2007 at 9:08 am
I think its the new, industrial-sized, Roomba Sage, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Green_EU_2005_roomba_on_beige_carpet.jpg
John
November 15th, 2007 at 9:49 am
A Roomba you say?? That’s brilliant! Finally NASA is doing something truly worth-while.
November 15th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Centipede,
Thanks for the info. I learned something today.
November 15th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Somebody from Area 51 out on a joyride!
November 15th, 2007 at 11:40 am
None of the above! Clearly this is part of a larger plot to turn the Arecibo observator into the world’s largest game of crokinole. The word on the street is that Lockheed is building a 70-foot rocket-assisted mechanical finger with enough flicking power to launch the disk shown above several hundred feet through the air. The UK is supplying some pillars from Stonehenge as posts, and the first actual game is due to be held in 2009 against the newly re-emerged Atlantean national team (Atlantis is in Canada, by the way, but to disguise this fact the team will be dressed in kimonos and trained to speak Norwegian). This will be a high-stakes game, with the prize being nothing less than control of the car-pool lanes encircling Sloatsville, New York. One of the Ryan Seacrest clones is due to host (what, you thought he made all those public appearances *himself*?).
Until then, watch the skies! Particularly if you live near the Lockheed testing facility – that disk’ll hurt if it lands on you.
November 15th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
> Centipede, do you suppose he has a pocket guide to UFOs?
He had a “personal” experience with one. He’d know more than us, methinks. He seems to know everything else…
> Oh, and as for a different reference, isn’t it Zentraedi? Not Zentradei.
I’ve seen it both ways. In the end, it’s a word made up by the Japanese and so transliteration is going to be… interesting.
It’s a heeeeyuge tiddlywink.
November 16th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
I can see there arent any biologist in the crowd…its clearly a intergalactic cow pie.
December 2nd, 2007 at 1:04 pm
no this is a seen form close encounters 2 richard dreyfes and stephin spellburg just got out it and george lucas is about to get in and go to a galaxy far far away
August 14th, 2008 at 2:00 am
lol its a heat shield for reentry into the atmosphere
noobs.
September 9th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
prob a *miniature* version of a space ship for some kind of old style movie
January 18th, 2009 at 12:11 am
nah, it’s supposed to be a plane of the future for boeing. that or Mulder was right all along… heh, turns out he actually was before this happened…
February 18th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
It is a large mexican pastry (pan dulce)
March 3rd, 2009 at 4:39 pm
fake
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:36 pm
The year of the joke.
Present technology & resources is not adequate to build an UFO,Even think off.
Hollywood is de best place to fly currently……………
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Finally! Science has found a way to play with swamp gas.