SpaceX Video Shows Unknown Object Near Space Station
A SpaceX video shows an unidentified object close to the International Space Station, though NASA has not confirmed a near miss.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Space
SpaceX posted a video showing an unknown object near the International Space Station. NASA has not confirmed that the object came close enough to constitute a near miss.
Why it matters
Objects in orbit can move at speeds roughly 10 times faster than a bullet relative to one another, so even an uncertain close approach draws attention to collision risk. Without a confirmed distance, the significance of the footage remains unclear.
The evidence is an unverified video posted by SpaceX, which provided no distance information for the object. Orbital objects move about 10 times faster than a bullet relative to each other, but the distance and identity of this object remain unknown.
The players
SpaceX
SpaceX is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded by Elon Musk that operates commercial rockets and spacecraft.
NASA
NASA is the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the federal agency responsible for civilian space exploration and operation of the International Space Station.
The details
SpaceX posted a video showing an unidentified object near the International Space Station. Determining how close the object came would require radar tracking or observations from different angles, neither of which has been reported.
The Big Picture
NASA's orbital debris tracking program is the body that would normally confirm or rule out a close approach to the International Space Station. This unverified SpaceX footage sits outside that confirmed tracking record.
Readers should treat the footage as unverified until NASA or independent trackers publish a distance estimate. Orbital debris and close approaches are monitored because even small objects can damage spacecraft at high relative speeds.
The takeaway
Watch for an official NASA statement before drawing conclusions about how close the object came to the station, since radar or multi-angle observations are needed to measure distance.
Further reading
For related coverage, explore more Space stories on orbital activity and spaceflight.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NewsNation.
