NASA Livestream Abruptly Ends When 'UFO' Seen Doing a Flyby - Viewers Wonder if It's Real or AI

NASA is again at the centre of online speculation after viewers spotted bright lights moving across an International Space Station (ISS) livestream shortly before the footage switched cameras and momentarily cut out. The clip, widely shared on X and Reddit, has been interpreted by some as showing an unidentified flying object captured in real time.

The post that prompted the debate claimed the broadcast ended immediately after the lights appeared. Supporters of the UFO interpretation argued that the movement looked coordinated and unlike reflections, satellites or debris, while others suggested NASA had deliberately interrupted the feed to prevent viewers from seeing more.

Space analysts and many online users have challenged this, noting that routine signal breaks are common during ISS transmissions and that the camera used in the clip is almost always pointed at Earth. They argue the lights more likely show city illumination or bushfires in Australia rather than anything unexplained.

Viral Claim Suggests NASA 'Cut the Feed'

The discussion began when the account UFO mania posted a one-minute video claiming unexplained lights had passed beneath the ISS at around 11:04am US Central Time. The footage, taken from NASA's Earth-facing stream, appeared to show a cluster of bright points gliding steadily across the frame.

The uploader alleged that NASA replaced the feed with a signal-loss screen moments later while audio from the ISS continued to play. They urged followers to check NASA's official livestream before the segment was removed, implying that the footage was being concealed from the public. The clip spread quickly across social platforms and was incorporated into compilations of alleged sightings.

Some supporters claimed the lights were too evenly spaced to be reflections or ground-based illumination and argued that if the visuals were mundane, NASA would not have switched cameras so abruptly.

Reddit Users Identify a Terrestrial Explanation

Once the clip reached Reddit, the reaction changed significantly. The video was reposted to the r/UFOs community where many users quickly offered alternative explanations. Several pointed out that NASA's on-screen display showed the ISS travelling above Australia at night.

Viewers also noted that the lights moved in the same direction and at the same pace as illuminated areas of land visible elsewhere in the frame. Some argued that increased display brightness made smaller light sources more visible, giving the impression of moving clusters. Others highlighted that Earth-facing ISS cameras are angled downward, making city lights, wildfires and reflected illumination common elements in night-time broadcasts.

A number of Reddit users also observed that the brief signal interruption occurred roughly a minute after the lights had passed through view. They described this as consistent with routine communication handovers during ISS operations. The original poster later updated their submission to acknowledge the alternative explanations.

Experts Say Routine Signal Breaks are Normal

NASA has not issued a formal statement regarding this specific broadcast. The agency regularly explains that short transmission dropouts occur when the ISS transfers between communication satellites, and engineers familiar with the system say these interruptions are typically scheduled and visible in extended versions of the livestream.

The debate surrounding the latest clip reflects how easily routine space imagery can attract extraordinary interpretations, particularly when shared without context. While the footage prompted widespread speculation, the most detailed analysis from space observers and online communities suggests the lights were likely terrestrial in origin, and that the brief interruption in the livestream followed standard ISS procedures rather than an attempt to obscure potential evidence of unidentified craft.