PUBLIC RELEASE SOURCE REVIEW ยท INDEPENDENT ANALYTIC CASE FILE
CASE FILE 46 / 237UAP00337
237UAP00337
Radar/correlation-focused public UAP report; score 54
NORMAL-OBJECT FAVORED
Report No.
UAP-OM-46-237UAP00337
Disposition
NORMAL-OBJECT FAVORED
Primary Case
237UAP00337
Generated
2026-05-20 18:32 UTC
Report Time
2024-01-13T20:26:00+00:00
Observer
29.45539, -98.24490
Source Case IDs
237UAP00337
Abstract
This case file evaluates a reported UAP sighting against the available orbital-object layer. No compact same-launch group fully identifies the file by itself. The final disposition is assigned under a normal-object favored standard, where ordinary aerospace/orbital explanations are preferred when they reasonably fit the report.
This is a standalone independent analysis prepared from public-source records and public orbital datasets. It is not an official government determination, classification marking, or agency-authored report.
1. Executive Summary
237UAP00337 is assessed as normal-object favored because the available public evidence gives a case-specific ordinary-object candidate: strong ADS-B aircraft candidate N261WN B737 a284b5 at 17.4 km, azimuth 358.4 deg, elevation 30.26 deg, 1.67 min from report. Dense satellite presence alone is not treated as causation in this packet.
1.1 Key Findings
Source score 54 based on: radar/primary-return language, negative official correlation, UAP/UFO language.
Report time used: 2024-01-13T20:26:00+00:00.
External object layer used: public LEO catalog objects.
Disposition standard: NORMAL-OBJECT requires case-specific causal fit. Satellite density above the horizon is context only and cannot by itself resolve the report.
Case-specific ordinary-object evidence: strong ADS-B aircraft candidate N261WN B737 a284b5 at 17.4 km, azimuth 358.4 deg, elevation 30.26 deg, 1.67 min from report.
Non-causal context / rejection screens: very dense orbital-object sky background; context only, not causation.
Objects above horizon: 911; at/above 10 deg: 430.
No compact same-launch/designator group survived the report threshold.
No explicit Starlink/balloon wording was found in the source excerpt used for ranking.
1.2 Bottom Line
NORMAL-OBJECT FAVORED: A case-specific ordinary-object candidate exists from source language, orbital geometry, launch-object context, or compact trajectory grouping. Dense ordinary sky traffic alone is not treated as causation.
2. Source Control
The source-control table identifies the public report records reviewed for this case and lists public access links where available. The table is included so this PDF remains interpretable when distributed by itself.
Aircraft reported an unidentified aerial phenomenon off the right side while E bound at 7,000 feet, 16 NM SE of SAT. The unknown phenomenon was white and blue in color at approximately 7,000 feet. No evasive action. No impact to operation. The UAP was not observed on ATC facility radar system.
Report time used
2024-01-13T20:26:00+00:00
Observer coordinate used
29.45539, -98.24490
Observer source basis
aviation_offset:16 NM SE of SAT (public text extract 237UAP00337)
4. Methodology
Spacetime extraction. The report time and observer coordinate were extracted from the public text report and normalized to UTC. Aviation fixes/radials were resolved during earlier preprocessing where applicable.
External object dataset. The object layer used historical Space-Track/TLE-derived public LEO catalog objects element rows. The analytic mode for this case is historical public LEO catalog objects element propagation and same-launch/designator sky grouping.
Propagation. Orbital elements were propagated to the report minute and observer location. For launch-object checks, samples around the report minute were retained. For Starlink group checks, objects above the horizon were clustered by sky position and filtered for same-launch groupings.
Comparison. The output was compared against the report's count of lights, direction cue, motion language, altitude/radar language, and whether the file itself already suggested a satellite explanation.
Causation standard. Mere object presence above the horizon is treated as background context only. A normal-object disposition requires a case-specific causal fit, such as a named launch object, a compact same-launch trajectory group, or source language that directly supports that object class.
Disposition assignment.Identified means a specific normal object fits the report spacetime and the hard reported features do not materially conflict. Normal-object favored means a case-specific ordinary aerospace/orbital candidate exists, but it is not a full named identification. Insufficient means the file is too thin to carry high anomaly value. High-value unresolved is used when radar, video, rapid maneuver, or multi-witness features remain after reasonable normal-object checks.
5. External Object Evidence
5.1 Search Volume and Density
This table is a screening layer only. Objects above the horizon show background opportunity; they do not establish causation unless a specific object or compact trajectory group matches the reported behavior.
public LEO catalog objects catalog IDs considered
19577
Historical element rows
19577
Above horizon at report minute
911
At/above 10 deg
430
Largest same-sky cluster
430
No compact same-launch/designator group survived the report threshold. In this condition, satellite density remains context only and cannot by itself resolve a report with hard features.
5.2 Same-Launch / Same-Designator Candidate Groups
#
Launch Date
Count
Azimuth Span
Elevation Span
Motion Labels
Members
No same-launch group identified.
5.3 Primary Group Members
Object
NORAD
Launch
Az
El
Range km
Apparent Motion
Element Age h
No members available.
5.4 Bright-Sky Context: Top public LEO catalog objects Objects by Elevation
Space-Track SATCAT metadata was pulled as a cached subset for NORAD catalog IDs appearing in this packet's evidence tables. This section adds owner/type/status context to the propagated object candidates.
Packet SATCAT subset rows
5370
Fetched
2026-05-19T01:19:50+00:00
This case NORAD IDs checked
30
SATCAT rows matched
30
Top owners
CIS: 12, US: 8, PRC: 3, UK: 2, BGR: 1, CZE: 1
Object types
PAYLOAD: 19, DEBRIS: 9, ROCKET BODY: 2
5.7 Space-Track Metadata for Top Propagated Objects
NORAD
Object Name
Type
Owner
Launch Date
Decay Date
20262
SL-14 R/B
ROCKET BODY
CIS
1989-09-28
n/a
4942
COSMOS 375 DEB
DEBRIS
CIS
1970-10-30
n/a
10589
COSMOS 982
PAYLOAD
CIS
1978-01-10
n/a
25366
COSMOS 2355
PAYLOAD
CIS
1998-06-15
n/a
45732
STARLINK-1466
PAYLOAD
US
2020-06-13
2024-09-02
28890
BEIJING 1 (TSINGHUA)
PAYLOAD
PRC
2005-10-27
n/a
34797
COSMOS 2251 DEB
DEBRIS
CIS
1993-06-16
n/a
10619
COSMOS 839 DEB
DEBRIS
CIS
1976-07-08
n/a
50194
STARLINK-3269
PAYLOAD
US
2021-12-18
2026-03-05
19230
SL-14 DEB
DEBRIS
CIS
1978-10-26
n/a
1805
DIAMANT R/B
ROCKET BODY
FR
1965-11-26
n/a
53470
STARLINK-4393
PAYLOAD
US
2022-08-12
n/a
5.9 NASA / NOAA / ADS-B Expansion Layer
This source layer adds free NASA context that was previously missing from most packet cases. It is contextual evidence; it does not replace aircraft, satellite, balloon, or radar causation tests.
Requires targeted extraction from large daily history archives before claiming aircraft exhaustion.
NOAA GOES imagery
not yet exhausted
Needed for cloud/lightning visual context.
NOAA GOES ABI/GLM manifest
screened/present
Public S3 object availability for the report hour.
NOAA NEXRAD weather radar
not yet exhausted
Weather radar only; not ATC radar.
NOAA IGRA radiosonde
screened/present
Needed for balloon drift plausibility.
ASOS/METAR weather observations
screened/present
Nearest station surface observations around report time.
ADSB.lol historical: extract aircraft traces from adsblol/globe_history_2024 for 2024-01-13, then filter +/-60 min and 250 nmi around 29.4554,-98.2449.
NASA POWER/Horizons/DONKI: batch context for 237UAP00337 at 2024-01-13T20:26:00+00:00.
NOAA GOES: pull nearest ABI/GLM products for the UTC hour and render cloud/lightning map.
NOAA NEXRAD: select nearest radar stations and render Level-II/III weather radar sweep around event time.
NOAA IGRA: find nearest radiosonde station launches bracketing the event and model wind drift for balloon-like descriptions.
Space-Track gp_history/decay: fetch exact historical element rows and decay/reentry status for top candidate NORAD IDs.
5.12 Weather, Imagery, and Balloon Query Plan
This plan identifies the concrete free sources needed for the next case-specific weather and balloon checks. These are not treated as completed exclusions until the data are downloaded and plotted.
surface visibility ranged 10-10 statute miles; no precipitation was reported in the retained observations; no low broken/overcast cloud ceiling was evident in the retained station observations. Surface ASOS/METAR observations describe airport-level weather and visibility; they do not by themselves prove conditions at the sighting altitude or line of sight.
Nearest sounding implies mean 0-12 km wind drift toward 308.0 deg at 10.2 m/s; a passive balloon could drift about 73.4 km in two hours under this crude layer-average model. Radiosonde winds are sparse station soundings; balloon drift remains approximate without launch time, ascent rate, object altitude, and exact line-of-sight bearing.
Station
Name
Distance km
Sounding UTC
Mean drift bearing
Mean speed m/s
2h drift km
Max wind
USM00072251
CORPUS CHRISTI/INT.; TX.
199.90
2024-01-14T00:00:00+00:00
308.00
10.20
73.40
28.90 at 32381.00 m
5.17 NOAA GOES ABI/GLM Public File Manifest
GOES public S3 objects are listed for the report hour where available. This is an availability manifest, not yet a rendered satellite image.
This layer uses the downloaded ADSB.lol daily history archive to test actual aircraft tracks near the report coordinate and minute. It is not treated as a primary-radar substitute; it is a transponder/receiver-derived aircraft screen.
Archive window
2024-01-13T19:11:00+00:00 to 2024-01-13T21:41:00+00:00
Radius
300.00 nmi
Trace files scanned
26399
Tracks retained
1200
Support status
aircraft strong candidate present
Best-candidate note
ordinary-object favored if the report's count, color, direction, and motion can be reconciled with the candidate track(s).
Strong candidates
29
Plausible candidates
109
Reporting-aircraft tracks excluded
1
Weak candidates
138
5.19 Top ADS-B Candidate Tracks
Aircraft
Status
Score
Min dist km
Nearest dt min
Alt ft
Az
El
N261WN B737 a284b5
strong aircraft candidate
90.81
17.00
0.11
34975
358.40
30.26
N638TS P28A a85d2e
strong aircraft candidate
80.14
6.30
0.01
5200
185.90
8.44
N38403 B739 a46c9a
strong aircraft candidate
78.50
10.30
0.01
2125
335.00
14.19
N893UP BE30 ac5249
strong aircraft candidate
75.84
21.80
0.14
25000
18.00
18.08
N228UV P28A a2008f
strong aircraft candidate
75.83
18.40
0.04
4925
259.10
3.88
N380PA DA40 a45c90
strong aircraft candidate
73.45
2.20
0.05
2950
35.40
1.76
N321RR BE55 a3738e
strong aircraft candidate
73.29
6.00
0.09
8000
115.20
21.96
N8605E B738 abd1e3
strong aircraft candidate
71.96
31.00
0.02
2275
297.40
1.04
6. Annotated Evidence Figure
Generated figure copied from the local evidence-plot output. It is included as an analytic visualization, not as original sensor imagery.
7. Analytic Comparison
Criterion
Report Evidence
Analytic Treatment
Time constraint
2024-01-13T20:26:00+00:00
Directly used in propagation; this is a hard filter, not descriptive context.
Location constraint
29.45539, -98.24490
Directly used as observer point for azimuth/elevation/range computation.
Count / pattern
not explicit
No compact same-launch count match; retained for unresolved report features.
Motion language
not explicit
Apparent motion labels in the object table provide a plausible but not definitive comparison.
Radar / official check
not observed on ATC radar
No ATC radar return can be consistent with distant orbital objects or visual aircraft-light hypotheses, but it does not prove the match.
Analytic disposition
normal-object
237UAP00337 is assessed as normal-object favored because the available public evidence gives a case-specific ordinary-object candidate: strong ADS-B aircraft candidate N261WN B737 a284b5 at 17.4 km, azimuth 358.4 deg, elevation 30.26 deg, 1.67 min from report. Dense satellite presence alone is not treated as causation in this packet.
8. Caveats, Limitations, and Collection Gaps
No raw cockpit video, ATC replay, radar plot, or witness interview transcript was reviewed unless explicitly stated in the public source text.
Aviation-derived coordinates can represent a nearby fix/radial or report point, not necessarily the actual line-of-sight intercept point.
Starlink visibility depends on illumination, observer altitude, atmospheric conditions, and apparent brightness; this analysis tests geometry, not photometry. No brightness model is used unless explicitly stated elsewhere in the case file.
TLE propagation is appropriate for screening and reconstruction but is not a substitute for authoritative operational ephemerides.
When many satellites are above the horizon, generic presence is weak evidence and is not treated as causation. The report emphasizes named launch-object checks or compact same-launch trajectory groups.
Normal-object favored is not the same as a perfect named-object identification; it requires a case-specific ordinary-object candidate stronger than simple object density.
Appendix A. Public Report Text Extracts
237UAP00337
SKYWATCH INCIDENT REPORT
PRIMARY CODE: UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENON
Date: 20:26 01/13/2024 Callsign: UAL1715 Origin: SAT
Status: Closed Aircraft: A320 Destination: DEN
POD: DEN Tail Number: New Destination:
Reporting Facility: SAT Operator: UAL Operator Type: Commercial
Paged: YES MOR Init: YES
MOR ID: SAT-M-2024/01/13-0002
REMARKS
Aircraft reported an unidentified aerial phenomenon off the right side while E bound at 7,000 feet, 16 NM SE of SAT. The
unknown phenomenon was white and blue in color at approximately 7,000 feet. No evasive action. No impact to operation. The
UAP was not observed on ATC facility radar system.
SKYWATCH INCIDENT REPORT | DATE: 2024-01-13T20:26 | POD: DEN | PAGE 1 of 1
Appendix B. Computational Evidence Digest
This appendix preserves the principal computed values used in the assessment, shortened to the fields most relevant to audit and review.
This checklist records which source layers were actually applied to this individual report. It separates checked evidence from unexhausted collection gaps so the disposition is auditable when the PDF is read alone.
Source Layer
Status
Case-Specific Note
NARA public UAP/FAA report
reviewed
Source IDs: 237UAP00337
Time and observer coordinate
extracted
2024-01-13T20:26:00+00:00 at 29.45539, -98.24490
Orbital object propagation
screened
public LEO catalog objects
Space-Track SATCAT metadata
screened
30 NORAD IDs checked; 30 matched in local SATCAT subset
Launch-object/SupGP layer
not applicable
not a launch-object case
NASA/JPL known small-body layer
not selected
CAD/Horizons secondary screen included when this case had NEO-relevant timing/geometry
NASA POWER/Horizons/DONKI context
screened
Hourly weather, sky geometry, and space-weather context where local JSON is present
Nearest station visibility, cloud, wind, precipitation, and METAR observations
Weather/balloon source plan
planned
Nearest weather-airport, GOES, and radiosonde queries are listed where local plan JSON is present
Final analytic disposition
normal-object favored
Presence-only satellite density is context only; a stronger case-specific fit is required for normal-object disposition
References and Source Links
National Archives and Records Administration. Records Related to Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) at the National Archives.https://www.archives.gov/research/topics/uaps
National Archives Catalog. Records from the Federal Aviation Administration Relating to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, National Archives Identifier 493468575.https://catalog.archives.gov/id/493468575
Space-Track.org. Public source for the underlying U.S. Space Surveillance Network TLE distribution referenced by the historical TLE archive.https://www.space-track.org/