STS -51 A UFO Encounter.

Dunno what it is - the 2nd link I gave above says it is a water droplet inside the shuttle. I don't know whether that is true or not - it seems reasonable, but I have no way of testing it.

What is it that makes it a UFO?
 
the rock or water droplet is the only normal thing in the whole video. whats that Molotov cocktail looking thing?
 
the rock or water droplet is the only normal thing in the whole video. whats that Molotov cocktail looking thing?

That Molotov cocktail looking thing is a communications satellite, Westar 6, being maneuvered into position by an astronaut in order to attach it to the robotic arm for retrieval.



The recovery of Westar 6 was not as difficult, and took place a day later. This time, Gardner, using the same muscle-power technique Allen had used for Palapa B2's rescue, easily captured the satellite. With Allen's help, he placed it in a cradle in the cargo bay. Following Westar 6's recovery, Gardner humorously held up a "For Sale" sign, as if trying to find someone to sell the malfunctioning satellites to.
Content from External Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-51-A

And that alleged 'UFO' looks very much like a drop of water floating in ~0g.

Mike, STS-51 also retrieved 2 satellites in addition to the 2 that were deployed.
 
Rock or drop of water aside is this video authentic ?

The video is taken from NASA footage shot by the crew, but it's just a tiny snippet of what was shown in the post-flight press conference. Here's a link to the full video. The snippet you linked in the OP is visible at the 11:43 mark. The video adds necessary context about what the crew was involved in at the time, and is well worth watching.

STS 51A deployed 2 comms satellites - so it'd be one of them

The mission also recovered two satellites, and this clip shows the second recovery rather than one of the deployments.

What should be most telling here is that the crew is filming and monitoring their colleague in mid-EVA and there's no reaction or concern, no mention of anything unusual from the astronauts or mission management team. EVAs of course require tremendous attention to detail and place crew safety above everything else. If there were something amiss, or some strange object lurking about outside the orbiter it would have certainly caused a reaction at the very least, and likely an end to the EVA.

[Edit: solrey has quicker fingers than I :(]
 
I'm more shocked by the fact that he seems to be out there wrangling that satellite without any kind of visible tether or being on the end of the robot arm. I didn't realize they worked like that. Seems pretty bold. I guess they could scoop him up by maneuvering the shuttle if his suit maneuvering equipment gave out.
 
I'm more shocked by the fact that he seems to be out there wrangling that satellite without any kind of visible tether or being on the end of the robot arm. I didn't realize they worked like that. Seems pretty bold. I guess they could scoop him up by maneuvering the shuttle if his suit maneuvering equipment gave out.
I was freaking out watching the current guys fixing the cooling system. wish I had seen this before that!
 
I didn't realize they worked like that.

They didn't for long, if it's any consolation. The MMU posted six and a half hours flight time total, per the NASM.

Edit: after further review, that figure must be specifically for MMU #3; per NASA MMUs #2 and #3 totalled 10h22m of flight time.
 
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At minus 270 degree in space how can this blob be water? allready at some cold places on earth you can spit out water and it drops as ice on the ground, it freezes in a split second and does so in space if i am right or? Just a question :)
 
And the flight path of this object seems to make a curve as its comes closer, the starting point and following the line in the first frames clearly shows its changing its path. How can this be? Aswell you can see a smaller object behind it for just 1 or 2 frames, could be pixelation artifacts but im not sure. Not saying its not a blob or its a UFO (aliens) but a friend raises this questions.
 
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