Timeline

The record, in order.

Events are dated; interpretations stay attached to their topic pages.

1947

Project Blue Book

Project Sign begins the Air Force's postwar investigation of reported flying objects.

1947-07

Roswell

Debris is recovered; the Roswell Army Air Field first announces a flying disc, then identifies a weather balloon.

1952

Project Blue Book

Project Blue Book begins under that name.

1969

Project Blue Book

The Air Force terminates Project Blue Book.

1980s

Majestic 12

The alleged MJ-12 documents become publicly known.

1987 onward

Majestic 12

Archival searches document provenance problems and fail to locate corroborating records.

1994-1997

Roswell

The Air Force reviews records and publishes its balloon and anthropomorphic-dummy explanations.

2004-11

The Navy videos

The encounter associated with the FLIR video occurs.

2004-2021

The 2021 ODNI assessment

The assessment's reporting window.

2015-01

The Navy videos

The encounters associated with GIMBAL and GOFAST occur.

2020-04-27

The Navy videos

DoD formally releases the three unclassified videos.

2021-06-25

The 2021 ODNI assessment

ODNI releases the preliminary assessment to Congress and the public.

2022

NASA's independent study

NASA commissions the independent study team.

2022

AARO's historical review

Congress establishes AARO's current organizational mandate.

2023-07-26

The 2023 House hearing

The House subcommittee holds its public UAP hearing.

2023-09-14

NASA's independent study

The team releases its final report.

2024

Roswell

AARO's historical review again reports no verified evidence of extraterrestrial technology or a hidden recovery program.

2024-03

The 2023 House hearing

AARO publishes a historical report reaching conclusions that conflict with major recovery-program allegations.

2024-03

AARO's historical review

AARO publishes Volume I of its historical record report.