Alfred Merrill Worden

Early Career and NASA Selection

Alfred Merrill "Al" Worden was born in Jackson, Michigan, in 1932 and earned a degree in astronautical engineering from West Point Military Academy. A decorated Air Force pilot and engineer, Worden was selected by NASA in 1966 as part of the fifth group of astronauts. His selection came during the height of the Apollo program, and he quickly distinguished himself as a skilled test pilot and scientific observer.

Apollo 15: Historic Deep-Space Mission

Worden served as Command Module Pilot on Apollo 15 (July–August 1971), one of the most scientifically ambitious lunar missions. During this mission, he made history by performing the first extravehicular activity (EVA) in deep space, retrieving camera film cassettes from the spacecraft's exterior while Earth receded to a tiny blue dot behind him. This deep-space spacewalk, conducted at a distance of nearly 200,000 miles from Earth, made Worden the first human to operate freely in the vacuum of space so far from any planetary body.

During his time orbiting the Moon and traveling through cislunar space, Worden conducted extensive observations of the lunar surface and the surrounding environment. His role as Command Module Pilot required meticulous attention to detail and careful documentation of phenomena encountered during the mission. The Apollo 15 mission itself was a landmark achievement in human spaceflight, combining lunar surface exploration with unprecedented scientific observations from orbit.

UFO Observations and Disclosure Claims

Worden is documented among NASA and military astronauts who reported UFO sightings during their missions. According to disclosure sources and astronaut UFO sighting documentation, Worden claimed to have observed alien spacecraft during his time in space. His account contributes to a broader pattern of Apollo-era astronaut observations that have been documented in recent Pentagon declassifications.

Worden's position as a trusted government astronaut and skilled observer lends credibility to his claims within disclosure circles. Unlike some accounts, Worden's observations occurred during an official NASA mission with extensive monitoring and documentation systems in place, though like other Apollo astronauts, the full details of any anomalies observed have been subject to filtering through official channels. Recent Pentagon disclosures in 2026 included previously classified materials relating to Apollo mission anomalies, with Worden appearing among astronauts whose observations were referenced in these releases.

Post-NASA Advocacy and Legacy

After leaving NASA, Worden has remained engaged with space exploration and disclosure advocacy. His credibility as an accomplished astronaut—someone trained by one of humanity's most rigorous space agencies and trusted with billion-dollar spacecraft—makes him a notable voice in UAP disclosure discussions. Worden represents a category of witnesses that scientific institutions traditionally regard with higher credibility: trained observers using sophisticated equipment under controlled conditions, rather than civilian eyewitnesses relying on memory and informal observation.

Worden's participation in astronaut disclosure initiatives reflects a broader movement among Apollo-era space explorers to acknowledge and discuss anomalies observed during lunar and deep-space missions, particularly as classified materials are gradually declassified and the stigma around discussing UAP observations diminishes in official and scientific circles.