Gordon Cooper was known for his interest in UFOs. He reported witnessing a UFO while flying over West Germany in 1951, and later, during his tenure at NASA, he reported another sighting, this time at Edwards Air Force Base in 1957. According to Cooper, he saw a 'saucer-like' aircraft land on a dry lake bed, which was then photographed by his crew. He claimed these photographs were forwarded to Washington and were not returned.
Cooper spoke openly about his belief in UFOs and the need for further investigation. He testified before the United Nations in 1985, advocating for a committee to research and explore these unidentified flying objects more thoroughly. He also appeared on various talk shows and wrote about his experiences in his autobiography, discussing his views that the government might be covering up information about UFOs.