A large object recently came perilously close to the International Space Station, an event an astrophysicist warns would “destroy” the orbital outpost. NewsNation reported the near-miss, which was captured in a SpaceX video.
The footage, which SpaceX posted but did not provide additional data for, shows an unknown object in the vicinity of the station. NASA has not confirmed the incident. Astrophysicist Avi Loeb, chair of the White House UAP Science Advisory Council, told NewsNation the object’s distance is critical to determining its speed.
“We need to know the distance to it so we can infer the speed by which it’s moving,” he said. “SpaceX did not provide any information about this one, except for the video that we are seeing.”
Collision Physics and the Threat of Orbital Debris
The relative velocity between objects in orbit is immense. Loeb emphasized that a direct impact would be catastrophic. “The speed by which objects are moving relative to each other is about 10 times faster than a bullet,” he said. “Any impact would destroy any infrastructure that is out there.”
Such an impact would not be a simple dent. The kinetic energy involved in hypervelocity collisions, even with small objects, is equivalent to that of a high-explosive detonation. The International Space Station, a complex assembly of pressurized modules, solar arrays, and external hardware, is not designed to withstand such forces.
The sheer velocity of objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) means even a small piece of debris, if not tracked and avoided, can cause catastrophic damage, puncturing pressure hulls or severing critical systems.
UFO Researcher Claims Specifics Ignored
BroBible reports that UFO Scott Waring, who runs the website UFO Sightings Daily, analyzed the video and provided more specific estimates. He claims the object was disc-shaped, 23 feet across, and came within 82 feet of the station’s panels.
Waring expressed surprise at the lack of acknowledgment. “The crew on board the DragonX said nothing about it, not NASA control, not even the station itself,” he said. He also pointed to another object he says was moving erratically around the Dragon spacecraft.
“Do you see how they’re moving very oddly?” he asked. “Moving like no aircraft we’ve ever seen or spacecraft. It doesn’t conform to physics the way humans expect things to. The way it moves is bizarre.”
For its part, NASA reported a routine cargo mission. “NASA only reported a routine docking involving more than 6,300 pounds of supplies and scientific equipment. There was no mention of a UFO or any near collision,” as noted by BroBible.
A mysterious object appears in footage near the International Space Station. I spoke with astrophysicist Avi Loeb about what it could be and what the video can actually tell us. The object’s identity and distance haven’t been verified.#ISS #AviLoeb #Space #UAP #ScienceNews pic.twitter.com/GG0v9KTwjK
Why the Data Gap is Critical
Loeb’s central point highlights the core issue in verifying such events. Without precise telemetry on the object’s distance and vector, any analysis is speculative. The challenge is not new. As Loeb explained, it mirrors the difficulties faced with unidentified anomalous objects closer to Earth. “It’s the same challenge we face in unidentified anomalous objects that we find closer to Earth,” he stated.
Scientists have established methods to determine an object’s distance. “Loeb says scientists can determine distance with a radar system, or by looking at the same object from different angles,” NewsNation reported. This is a fundamental principle of photogrammetry and radar ranging, techniques used in both astronomy and aerospace tracking. Without this data, the object remains an unverified anomaly.
1 PM Top-of-the-Hour News Candles lined the market square of Krakow, Poland, in memory of the victims of a mass shooting there yesterday. Poland's defense minister described the attack as an "act of terror." Six people were killed, and more than a dozen were wounded — including… pic.twitter.com/g7f75JRhBe
Waring Sees Proof of Life While Officials Remain Silent
The incident presents a stark contrast between on-the-ground analysis and official reporting. Waring, analyzing the video from his perspective, sees proof of intelligent life. “Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe this isn’t a UFO,” he conceded, according to BroBible. “But for me, this just confirms that intelligent life is out there.”
Meanwhile, the official channels, including NASA and SpaceX, have offered no such interpretation. They have not confirmed a near-miss, let alone identified the object. This official silence leaves a void that theories like Waring’s readily fill.
Broader Implications for Space Traffic Management
With more private companies launching satellites and cargo missions to the ISS, the orbital environment is becoming more crowded.
The International Space Station is a shared asset, and its safety is paramount.
