What Is TTSA?
TTSA stands for To The Stars Academy of Arts and Science — an organization founded in 2017 by Tom DeLonge (former Blink-182 guitarist) that played a pivotal role in bringing UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) into mainstream public discourse. TTSA brought together former intelligence community and defense officials with scientists, aerospace engineers, and media professionals with the stated mission of advancing scientific understanding of UAP and related phenomena.
Key Personnel
TTSA’s significance lay largely in its roster of advisors and team members. Luis Elizondo, who had directed AATIP (Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program) at the Pentagon, joined TTSA upon his resignation from government and became the public face of UAP disclosure efforts. Other notable team members included Christopher Mellon (former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence), Hal Puthoff (physicist and former SRI remote viewing researcher), and Steve Justice (former head of Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works Advanced Development Programs). The concentration of credentialed national security professionals gave TTSA’s claims a weight that previous civilian UFO organizations could not match.
The 2017 Disclosure
TTSA’s most significant achievement was orchestrating the December 2017 disclosure that fundamentally changed the UAP conversation. Working with journalists at The New York Times, TTSA facilitated the release of declassified FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) footage from Navy encounters and the public revelation of AATIP’s existence. This coordinated disclosure represented the first time that confirmed military UAP footage, a named Pentagon program, and credible intelligence officials converged in mainstream media coverage. The impact was immediate and lasting — it triggered congressional interest, military reporting policy changes, and ultimately the creation of AARO (All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office).
Evolution
Following the 2017 disclosure, TTSA underwent significant changes. Key personnel including Elizondo and Mellon eventually departed to pursue disclosure efforts through other channels. The organization pivoted from primarily an advocacy and disclosure operation toward its entertainment and media divisions. While its role as the primary driver of UAP disclosure diminished as government mechanisms took over, TTSA’s early work remains a defining chapter in the modern UAP narrative.
Related Terms
TTSA is directly connected to AATIP (Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program), UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena), AARO (All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office), NHI (Non-Human Intelligence), FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared), and the broader UAP disclosure movement involving FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) and congressional investigation.