Brief
James E. Oberg
The claims the writer was given for James E. Oberg, in the order they were given.
1
Space Shuttle crewman Story Musgrave, asked by James Oberg about the STS-80 disk-like objects, said he saw nothing unusual on the flight at that point or at any other point.
“"When I asked crewman Story Musgrave, who is not shy about talking about anomalies of any kind, he assured me he saw nothing unusual on the flight, at this point or at any other."”
Anomalous Phenomena in Space Shuttle Mission STS-80 Video 2005 char:1970-2141 testimony second hand
2
James Oberg described Story Musgrave as not shy about talking about anomalies of any kind.
“crewman Story Musgrave, who is not shy about talking about anomalies of any kind”
Anomalous Phenomena in Space Shuttle Mission STS-80 Video 2005 char:1983-2059 opinion first hand
3
In a web posting of February 1997, James Oberg dismissed the STS-80 disk-like object event as identical in origin to the STS-48 scenes and to numerous others throughout the space shuttle flight programme.
“In a February 1997 web posting¹, Oberg dismisses the event as being "identical in origin to the infamous STS-48 scenes and to numerous others throughout the shuttle flight program."”
Anomalous Phenomena in Space Shuttle Mission STS-80 Video 2005 char:2149-2321 opinion second hand
4
James Oberg claimed that the flash in the STS-48 video was from a thruster firing.
“Oberg⁶ claimed that the flash in the STS-48 video was from a thruster firing.”
Anomalous Phenomena in Space Shuttle Mission STS-80 Video 2005 char:3637-3707 opinion second hand
5
When sunrise occurs due to the orbiter's motion along its orbit, the orbiter is bathed in sunlight while the camera is still trained on the dark side of Earth, so floating particles that routinely accompany every shuttle flight can become visible in the sunlight.
“"When sunrise occurs (due to the Orbiter's motion along its orbit), even though the Orbiter is now bathed in sunlight, the camera is still trained on the dark side of Earth. But now the floating particles which routinely accompany every shuttle flight ... can become visible in the sunlight"”
Anomalous Phenomena in Space Shuttle Mission STS-80 Video 2005 char:3950-4243 opinion second hand
6
According to James Oberg, the floating particles accompanying shuttle flights come from a dozen or more distinctly different sources, often being ice particles and sometimes junk from the payload bay or pieces of insulation blankets.
“(often ice particles, sometimes junk from the payload bay, pieces of insulation blankets, a dozen or more distinctly different sources)”
Anomalous Phenomena in Space Shuttle Mission STS-80 Video 2005 char:4202-4328 opinion second hand
7
According to James Oberg, particles accompanying a shuttle flight can move into sunlight from the umbra of the orbiter and thus appear suddenly.
“sometimes even moving into sunlight from the umbra of the Orbiter (and thus 'appearing suddenly')”
Anomalous Phenomena in Space Shuttle Mission STS-80 Video 2005 char:4373-4460 opinion second hand
8
According to James Oberg, the floating particles seen in shuttle video are close to the camera, sometimes a few metres away and at most a few tens of metres.
“These are close to the camera, sometimes a few feet, at most a few hundred feet.”
Anomalous Phenomena in Space Shuttle Mission STS-80 Video 2005 char:4472-4547 opinion second hand
9
According to James Oberg, particles near the shuttle are sometimes hit by pulses of gas from the Reaction Control System (RCS) jets as they automatically fire to nudge the spacecraft back towards a preset orientation.
“Sometimes they are hit by pulses of gas from the RCS jets as they automatically fire to gently nudge the spaceship back towards a preset orientation.”
Anomalous Phenomena in Space Shuttle Mission STS-80 Video 2005 char:4553-4690 opinion second hand
10
In 2006 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) formally commissioned James Oberg, a leading space authority, to write an official NASA book on why the Moon Hoax conspiracy theory is unfounded.
“How else do you explain NASA formally commissioning James Oberg, a leading space authority, just last year (2006) to finally write an official NASA book on “why the Moon Hoax crowd is ‘out to lunch.’””
Dark Mission 2010-07-22 ch11:145503-145695 administrative first hand
11
Another part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) abruptly cancelled James Oberg's contract to write the official NASA book debunking the Moon Hoax conspiracy theory, withdrawing from publishing it.
“Only, to have *another* part of NASA suddenly *cancel* Oberg’s contract … abruptly withdrawing from publishing the one book”
Dark Mission 2010-07-22 ch11:145704-145823 opinion first hand
12
A few days before Thomas Young issued his report, former National Aeronautics and Space Administration chief debunker James Oberg published a story via United Press International (UPI) accusing Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) employees of knowing that the Mars Polar Lander was doomed, due to software problems related to the spacecraft's landing legs, from early in the mission.
“Then, just a few days before Young issued his report, former NASA chief debunker James Oberg published a story on UPI that accused JPL employees of knowing full well that the MPL was doomed (due to software problems related to the spacecraft’s landing legs) from very early on in the mission.”
Dark Mission 2010-07-22 ch14:19256-19540 testimony second hand
13
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) employees denied James Oberg's report about the Mars Polar Lander using terms such as "bunk," "complete nonsense," and "wacko."
“JPL employees rabidly denied the report, using words like “bunk,” “complete nonsense” and “wacko” to describe their reactions to Oberg’s charge.”
Dark Mission 2010-07-22 ch14:19549-19686 testimony second hand
14
On 2000-03-29, Dan Goldin flew to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to address its personnel following two damaging weeks that included James Oberg's initial United Press International (UPI) accusation and the release of the Young Report.
“Yet following NASA’s damaging previous two weeks, stretching from Oberg’s initial bizarre UPI accusation to the release of the Young Report, Dan Goldin flew on March 29, 2000 to JPL itself.”
Dark Mission 2010-07-22 ch14:21689-21871 administrative
15
James Oberg dismissed John Glenn's 2001 Frasier comments as simple humour because of their comedic context.
“NASA sycophants, like James Oberg, immediately dismissed these comments as simple humor because of their context—one of the most popular situation comedies on television.”
Dark Mission 2010-07-22 ch19:27202-27361 opinion second hand
16
James Oberg's intervention led to Ken Johnston's dismissal from his unpaid position as a JPL Solar System Ambassador.
“Even Oberg’s direct intervention in getting Dr. Johnston dismissed from his unpaid position as a JPL Solar System Ambassador failed to ignite any interest among the media elite.”
Dark Mission 2010-07-22 ch5:1246-1417 testimony first hand
17
James Oberg of National Broadcasting Company (NBC) News made an assault on the integrity of Ken Johnston.
“an assault against the integrity of Dr. Ken Johnston by James Oberg of NBC News”
Dark Mission 2010-07-22 ch5:614-689 opinion first hand
18
James E. Oberg is a former NASA space shuttle engineer and the author of ten books on spaceflight who often debunks UFO sightings.
“James E. Oberg, a former NASA space shuttle engineer and the author of 10 books on spaceflight who often debunks U.F.O. sightings, was also doubtful.”
Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program 2017-12-16 char:4400-4521 administrative
19
James E. Oberg was doubtful about the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), considering that there are plenty of prosaic events and human perceptual traits that can account for such stories.
“was also doubtful. “There are plenty of prosaic events and human perceptual traits that can account for these stories,” Mr. Oberg said.”
Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program 2017-12-16 char:4632-4762 opinion first hand
20
James E. Oberg said many people are active in the air and don't want others to know about it, and are happy to lurk unrecognised in the noise or even stir it up as camouflage.
““Lots of people are active in the air and don’t want others to know about it. They are happy to lurk unrecognized in the noise, or even to stir it up as camouflage.””
Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program 2017-12-16 char:4769-4921 opinion first hand
21
James E. Oberg said he welcomed research into unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and considered there could well be a 'pearl there'.
“Still, Mr. Oberg said he welcomed research. “There could well be a pearl there,” he said.”
Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program 2017-12-16 char:4935-5019 opinion first hand
22
Florenze Mansmann backed Robert Jacobs' account of the 1964 Vandenberg incident after reading that sceptics James Oberg and Philip Klass were attacking Jacobs with claims that his sighting was fanciful and uncorroborated.
“backed Jacobs' account because he read how sceptics James Oberg and journalist Philip Klass were attacking Bob Jacobs with claims that his sighting was fanciful and uncorroborated.”
In Plain Sight 2023-11-17 ch10:6482-6647 administrative
23
James Oberg, described as a notorious skeptic debunker, attempted a rebuttal of the STS-48 UAP incident footage, suggesting the objects were ice particles from the space shuttle's thrusters and that the movement seen was caused by thruster manoeuvres.
“there's been an attempt at a rebuttal by I think it was Dr. James Oberg, a notorious skeptic debunker, and he suggested that these were ice particles that had come from the thrusters on the shuttle and that what you were seeing were thruster maneuvers that were causing the movement of ice particles.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:22:32.1-00:22:49.4 opinion second hand
24
Maaneli "Max" Derakhshani considers James Oberg's ice-particle explanation a plausible first guess, but finds the available data in the STS-48 UAP incident video do not fit that explanation well.
“that is, I think, a plausible first guess. However, when you look more closely at the details of this particular video, I think one quickly sees that the available data in the video do not fit that explanation well at all.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:22:55.6-00:23:15.5 opinion first hand
25
James Oberg of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has had back-and-forth exchanges with Mark Carlotto and Jack Kasher regarding the STS-48 UAP incident, but did not do so officially on behalf of NASA.
“There is one person from NASA, James Oberg, who has had some back and forth with Dr. Carlotto, as well as my colleague, Jack Kasher, who also wrote this really extensive study of the STS-48 video. But he seemed to do this basically on his own. not necessarily officially on behalf of NASA.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:32:50.5-00:33:12.7 testimony first hand
26
James Oberg and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have suggested the main unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) of interest in the STS-48 UAP incident is an ice particle coming out of the space shuttle's shadow into sunlight.
“if it is just an ice particle that's coming out of the space shuttle's shadow and into sunlight as Oberg and NASA have suggested”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:38:05.4-00:38:16.7 testimony second hand
27
According to James Oberg as quoted by Mark Carlotto, when Oberg asked Story Musgrave, who is not shy about discussing anomalies, Musgrave assured Oberg that he saw nothing unusual during the STS-80 flight.
“According to James Ober, quote, when I asked crewman Story Musgrave, who is not shy about talking about anomalies of any kind, he assured me he saw nothing unusual on the flight STS-80.”
What Did Apollo Astronauts Really See on the Moon? | Reality Check with Ross Coulthart 2026-08-10 00:57:11.8-00:57:21.6 testimony third hand