NASA UAP Independent Study Team: Frequently Asked Questions on Scope, Methodology, and Findings

NASA's science.nasa.gov website hosts a Frequently Asked Questions page dedicated to the agency's Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Independent Study, last updated May 8, 2026, with Karen Fox listed as page editor and Diana Logreira as the responsible NASA official for science. The FAQ comprises 13 numbered questions covering topics ranging from the search for extraterrestrial life, to technosignatures research, to the structure and mandate of the 2023 UAP Independent Study Team.

The study team consisted of 16 members drawn from the scientific, aeronautics, and data analytics communities. It was chaired by David Spergel, President of the Simons Foundation and former chair of the astrophysics department at Princeton University. Daniel Evans, Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator for Research at NASA's Science Mission Directorate, served as the NASA official responsible for orchestrating the study. Members were appointed under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and were required to complete financial disclosures and a government ethics briefing; possession of a security clearance was not required, as the team examined only unclassified data.

The FAQ makes clear that the study's central mandate was prospective rather than retrospective: the team was asked to recommend a roadmap for how NASA might collect and analyze data to shed light on UAP in the future, not to review past UAP incidents or classified government programs. The nine-month study was supported by NASA's Science Mission Directorate and Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, and its budget was described as consistent with other external review groups convened annually through NASA's Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES) program. NASA stated it has not established a programmatic UAP search effort and has no associated programmatic funding.

On the question of evidence, the FAQ states explicitly: "There is no evidence that UAPs are extraterrestrial" and "Most UAP sightings result in very limited data, making it difficult to draw scientific conclusions about the nature of UAP." NASA also notes that its Earth-observing satellites collect extensive atmospheric data that are publicly available but are not specifically gathered to identify UAP. The FAQ adds that NASA refers to the subject as "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena" in conformance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The page opens with a statement affirming NASA's support for President Donald J. Trump's direction for "whole-of-government transparency" and the agency's commitment to making its materials and expertise available to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), which the FAQ identifies as leading U.S. government UAP efforts using a rigorous scientific framework and data-driven approach. A separate link directs readers to information on "recent disclosures," indicating the page is periodically updated to reflect ongoing government UAP activities.