What UFOs turn out to be
The International Space Station mistaken for a UFO
The International Space Station is the brightest artificial object in the night sky: brighter than any star, it crosses the sky from west to east in four to six minutes, without blinking.
Like any satellite, it is only visible at dusk or dawn, when it is still sunlit while the observer is in darkness, and it can vanish suddenly as it enters the Earth's shadow. Its passes can be predicted to the minute.
SkyUnknown lists 86 UFO sightings explained as the International Space Station (ISS), from 2004 to 2025, drawn from official records: GEIPAN (CNES). The busiest year was 2012, with 14 cases.
- cases
- 86
- unidentified
- 0
- period
- 2004–2025
- source
- 1
Map of the cases
Notable cases
The most complete records: account of the sighting, conclusion of the official investigation.
- ExplainedSeptember 6, 2025
Saint-François
Guadeloupe, France
→ Space station (ISS)
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedMarch 26, 2025
Veyrier
France
→ Space station (ISS)
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedMarch 2, 2025
Vals-des-Tilles
Haute-Marne, Grand Est, France
→ Space station (ISS)
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedMay 24, 2023
Rouen
Seine-Maritime, Normandie, France
→ Space station (ISS)
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJuly 28, 2022
Sénas
Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
→ Space station (ISS)
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJuly 17, 2022
Châtillon
Hauts-de-Seine, Île-de-France, France
→ Space station (ISS)
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJuly 17, 2022
Frambouhans
Doubs, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
→ Space station (ISS)
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJuly 16, 2022
Walscheid
Moselle, Grand Est, France
→ Space station (ISS)
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJuly 14, 2022
Avrieux
Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
→ Space station (ISS)
GEIPAN (CNES)
Other explanations
By country
All sightings
| Date | Place | Status | Identified cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 6, 2025 | Saint-François · Guadeloupe | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| March 26, 2025 | Veyrier | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| March 2, 2025 | Vals-des-Tilles · Haute-Marne | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| May 24, 2023 | Rouen · Seine-Maritime | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 28, 2022 | Sénas · Bouches-du-Rhône | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 17, 2022 | Châtillon · Hauts-de-Seine | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 17, 2022 | Frambouhans · Doubs | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 16, 2022 | Walscheid · Moselle | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 14, 2022 | Avrieux · Savoie | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| October 24, 2021 | Villautou · Aude | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 20, 2020 | Metz · Moselle | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| October 5, 2019 | Baraigne · Aude | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 23, 2019 | Fort-Mardyck · Nord | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| May 31, 2019 | Aron · Mayenne | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| May 31, 2019 | Arronnes · Allier | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| March 12, 2019 | Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche · Haute-Vienne | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| December 26, 2018 | Moulézan · Gard | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 23, 2017 | Lannion · Côtes-d'Armor | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| May 24, 2017 | Gien-sur-Cure · Nièvre | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 12, 2016 | Montpezat · Gard | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 5, 2015 | Fontaine · Isère | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| February 11, 2015 | Guerting · Moselle | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 17, 2014 | Bergerac · Dordogne | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 10, 2014 | Épinonville · Meuse | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 3, 2014 | Les Avenières · Isère | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 7, 2014 | Handschuheim · Bas-Rhin | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| February 22, 2014 | Marquette-lez-Lille · Nord | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 17, 2013 | Pontarlier · Doubs | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 5, 2013 | Notre-Dame-des-Landes · Loire-Atlantique | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 22, 2013 | Eybens · Isère | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 13, 2013 | Schiltigheim · Bas-Rhin | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 6, 2013 | Saint-Max · Meurthe-et-Moselle | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 5, 2013 | Saint-Jean-de-Maruéjols-et-Avéjan · Gard | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 3, 2013 | Assevillers · Somme | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| April 23, 2013 | Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire · Indre-et-Loire | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 29, 2012 | Grasse · Alpes-Maritimes | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 23, 2012 | Lyon · Rhône | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 22, 2012 | Brue-Auriac · Var | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 22, 2012 | Claret · Alpes-de-Haute-Provence | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 22, 2012 | Draguignan · Var | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 9, 2012 | Rioux · Charente-Maritime | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 7, 2012 | Istres · Bouches-du-Rhône | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 27, 2012 | Chaveroche · Corrèze | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 26, 2012 | Fontenay-près-Vézelay · Yonne | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 20, 2012 | Paris | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| April 13, 2012 | Landévant · Morbihan | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| April 12, 2012 | Pleurtuit · Ille-et-Vilaine | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| March 1, 2012 | Sainte-Sigolène · Haute-Loire | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| January 30, 2012 | Le Temple-sur-Lot · Lot-et-Garonne | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| October 20, 2011 | Fleury-Mérogis · Essonne | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 15, 2011 | Aiglemont · Ardennes | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 14, 2011 | Fourg · Doubs | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 13, 2011 | Annecy-le-Vieux · Haute-Savoie | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| April 19, 2011 | Rochejean · Doubs | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| February 3, 2011 | Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| September 10, 2010 | Eybens · Isère | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 6, 2010 | Saint-Rémy-la-Varenne · Maine-et-Loire | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 5, 2010 | Noirétable · Loire | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 3, 2010 | Petit-Couronne · Seine-Maritime | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 1, 2010 | Parthenay-de-Bretagne · Ille-et-Vilaine | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 27, 2010 | 12.10°, 144.15° | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 25, 2010 | Chaulgnes · Nièvre | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 25, 2010 | Ussac · Corrèze | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| April 10, 2010 | Menton · Alpes-Maritimes | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| November 26, 2009 | Castres-Gironde · Gironde | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| November 19, 2009 | Buironfosse · Aisne | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| November 19, 2009 | Dormans · Marne | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| September 8, 2009 | Le Taillan-Médoc · Gironde | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 21, 2009 | Dareizé · Rhône | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 19, 2009 | Messigny-et-Vantoux · Côte-d'Or | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| July 17, 2009 | Plougasnou · Finistère | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| May 22, 2009 | Montaigu · Vendée | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| April 25, 2009 | Rumilly · Haute-Savoie | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| March 17, 2009 | L'Île-d'Yeu · Vendée | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| March 17, 2009 | Millas · Pyrénées-Orientales | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| March 17, 2009 | Saint-Martin-l'Ars · Vienne | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| March 17, 2009 | Savigné-sur-Lathan · Indre-et-Loire | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| September 25, 2008 | La Ville-ès-Nonais · Ille-et-Vilaine | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| September 21, 2008 | Bruges · Gironde | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| May 29, 2008 | Saint-Coulomb · Ille-et-Vilaine | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| May 21, 2008 | Gémenos · Bouches-du-Rhône | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| May 8, 2008 | Oisly · Loir-et-Cher | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| April 4, 2008 | Le Mas-d'Agenais · Lot-et-Garonne | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| August 18, 2007 | Gimont · Gers | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| June 19, 2007 | Nyons · Drôme | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
| May 14, 2004 | Saint-Marsal · Pyrénées-Orientales | Explained | Space station (ISS) |
The figures on this page are computed from the official records cited on each case. See sources and method