Sighting in 12.10°, 144.15°, June 27, 2010

A pilot and a co-pilot were flying an Airbus 330 from Nouméa to Seoul at 40,000 feet (12,500 metres) when they noticed a very bright point of light at their "1 o'clock". It was moving quickly in a straight line toward the south-east. They saw no smoke and no trace of combustion. The pilot estimated its speed at Mach 6, at an altitude of at least 80,000 feet (about 25,000 metres).

When the light reached their 3 o'clock position, 90° to the right, the pilot called the area air traffic control based in Guam, without giving a precise position or heading. The controller was initially surprised and answered that there was no traffic to report. A minute later, the controller asked an American Airlines flight in the sector to confirm whether there might be unreported traffic. That crew confirmed the sighting. After about five minutes, the light passed into the blind spot of the Airbus crew and the observation ended. Only one witness account was collected.

The investigation concluded that the witnesses had seen the International Space Station (ISS). The phenomenon had all the characteristics of a satellite, and its position in the sky, the date, the time and the duration all matched an ISS pass. The witness's estimates of distance and speed could not be accurate: without reference points, it is impossible to judge the distance, size or speed of an unfamiliar object, and only the angular speed can be relied on. Because the ISS is much brighter than other satellites, the crews perceived it as closer and lower than it was. GEIPAN classified the case as A.