NASA-UAP-D028, Apollo 17 Crew Medical Debriefing, 1972

Official Conclusion

Light flash phenomena attributed to high-energy cosmic rays passing through the eye and striking the retina — a known biological effect.

Official Description

This file contains segment 1 of 2 of the Apollo 17 post-mission medical debriefing at the Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Space Center), Houston, Texas. In the recording, crew members discuss the “light flash phenomena,” a then novel, now well-documented biological effect where high-energy cosmic rays pass through the eye and strike the retina, causing the perception of light streaks or flashes. Two of the three crew members reported observing these flashes at various points during the mission, including in lunar orbit and while on the lunar surface. The debriefing continues in the next file (NASA-UAP-D029).

Key Findings

• →Two of the three Apollo 17 crew members reported experiencing light flash phenomena during the mission, including in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface.
• →The light flash phenomena is described as a then-novel but now well-documented biological effect caused by high-energy cosmic rays striking the retina.
• →The debriefing was conducted at the Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Space Center) in Houston, Texas.
• →This recording is segment 1 of 2, with the debriefing continuing in file NASA-UAP-D029.
• →No anomalous aerial or unidentified phenomena are discussed; the reported perceptions have a confirmed physiological explanation.

Extracted Entities