October 2023 Mother Orb Incident

Overview

On two days in October 2023, seven federal government employees, primarily six FBI special agents organized in three two-person teams, reported close-range encounters with unidentified phenomena near a sensitive national-security site in the sparsely populated western United States. The incident was characterized by AARO Director Jon Kosloski in June 2026 as "among the most compelling within AARO's current holdings."

Reported Events

The primary incident involved an orange orb that appeared briefly, releasing 2–4 smaller red orbs before vanishing. One red orb was reported to hover stationary over a ridgeline for an extended period, visible to multiple witnesses. Additional accounts describe a large, semi-transparent object described as a 'translucent kite,' which was observed by at least one federal employee.

Witness Credentials

All witnesses were federal law enforcement agents trained in official observation protocols and threat assessment. They provided contemporaneous reports through established chain-of-custody procedures, giving the incident credibility within government circles.

Official Analysis

AARO's June 2026 memorandum summarizing the incident noted that approximately 40% of the reported phenomena remain unexplained. The unexplained portion was provisionally characterized as potentially 'unrecognized technology,' though AARO emphasized the assessment was based solely on narrative testimony and lacked technical or physical evidence to support definitive conclusions.

Classification Status

The specific geographic location of the incident remains classified and has not been released to the public. The incident was included in the third batch of the PURSUE (Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters) declassification initiative, released on June 12, 2026, as part of the Trump administration's transparency effort regarding UAP records.