In August 2024, former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao reported witnessing two metallic spherical orbs while flying at 9,000 feet over Texas. The objects zipped past his plane, estimated to be only 20 feet away, with each orb about three feet in diameter.
Chiao, who commanded Expedition 10 to the International Space Station, noted that the orbs were not detected on radar, nor were they visible on his aircraft's transponder display. He described the incident as a stroke of 'dumb luck' that they did not collide with his plane.
He speculated that the orbs might be part of a top-secret military drone program, given their unusual characteristics and the lack of government transparency regarding recent drone sightings across the U.S.
Chiao expressed concern about the implications of unidentified aerial phenomena, stating, 'It's hard to believe that our government doesn't really know what's going on.' His observations align with a broader trend, as spherical UFOs accounted for 22 percent of all U.S. military sightings in the latest reports.