Daily Mail: NASA Apollo 16 audio mentions “alien star base”

Recently released NASA audio recordings from the Apollo 16 era have drawn attention after a reference to an “alien star base” appeared during a previously classified mission briefing, part of a wider release of UFO-related documents.

The audio, recorded after the Apollo 16 mission in the 1970s, was released on June 12 as part of a broader declassification effort involving UFO files. The mission itself took place from April 16 to April 27, 1972, and included astronauts John Young and Charles Duke, while Thomas “Ken” Mattingly remained in lunar orbit, Daily Mail reports. 

The 55-minute recording captures technical discussions on gravity and laser measurements, alongside references to surface anomalies observed during the mission.

However, attention has focused on a segment discussing a “great big hole” near the Van de Graaff crater, a lunar region known for unusual geological features.

“In the backside of the moon around Fendi graph, that's where we get our big hole.”

Shortly afterward, a speaker made a speculative remark:

“It could be an alien star base or something. Anyway, the next slide shows the front side of the moon.”

The comment was made in a casual tone, followed by laughter after an earlier reference to the “big hole,” according to the recording.

The June 12 release included 72 files from agencies such as the FBI, CIA, and the Pentagon, containing video material, testimony, and illustrations of unidentified aerial phenomena. Some documents reportedly date back to the 1940s and include material from outside the United States.

The latest release follows earlier batches made public on May 8 and May 22 under a broader disclosure initiative.

By Sabina Mammadli