Numerous top NASA scientists with ties to UFO secrets and missile technology have either died, been murdered or gone missing in suspicious circumstances over the last several years
14:32, 08 Apr 2026Updated 14:33, 08 Apr 2026
NASA research scientist Micheal David Hicks has recently passed away (Image: Youtube)
A ninth person with ties to the United States’ Space program has now joined the mysterious growing list of boffins who have died or disappeared around the US.
Research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Michael David Hicks, passed away at age 59 on July 30, 2023. Until now, the space boffin’s death was not made public.
Mystery surrounds the circumstances of his passing as a cause was never published and there are no records of an autopsy being performed. Hicks worked at the space agency between 1998 to 2022 and was credited with publishing over 80 scientific papers and was part of numerous teams to help NASA understand the properties of comets and asteroids.
Numerous NASA boffins have died or disappeared in recent years (Image: Getty Images)
One project Hicks was involved in was the DART project as NASA tested to see if mankind could deflect dangerous space asteroids away from Earth. The space expert was also part of the 2001 Deep Space 1 Mission, testing new spacecraft technology by flying past by a comet.
Hicks’ demise is the latest in a concerning trend of mysterious deaths and disappearances of individuals connected to the American space program. While there has been no public allegations of foul play surrounding Hicks’ death, this series of deaths has set off alarm bells among US national security experts.
Three of Hicks’ colleagues have either vanished in recent years or have died untimely with little to no public acknowledgement of their deaths. Monica Reza, JPL’s new Director of the Materials Processing Group, vanished without a trace in June 2025, just months after beginning her tenure at the NASA lab.
Top NASA scientist Frank Maiwald died in Los Angeles from unknown circumstances(Image: Legacy)
Two other men with deep ties to JPL died recently, including Frank Maiwald, a long-time co-worker of Hicks. Maiwald, 61, passed away in July 2024 with little knowledge surrounding his causes of death.
The other, astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, 67, was murdered on the front porch of his home on February 16, 2026. Only 13 months before Maiwald’s death he was appointed the lead researcher on a space mission which could help to detect clear signs of life in planets across the galaxy.
During his time conducting this research Grillmair aided the discovery of a water planet alongside his colleagues. Grillmair called his work “ingenious” claiming the research could point to signs of alien life less than 160-light years from Earth.
Renowned MIT professor Nuno Loureiro, 47, was shot dead(Image: MIT Nuclear Science and Engineering)
The string of disturbing deaths and disappearances caused Congress and members of the US intelligence community to take note. This is due to the disappearing and dying experts having extensive knowledge of missiles and rocket engine tech.
Former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker said: “You can say these are all suspicious, and these are scientists who have worked in critical technology.”
In recent years numerous space boffins have mysteriously gone missing or have died in suspicious circumstances (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
He added multiple foreign intelligence services, including enemies and allies of the States, have been targeting individuals holding Americans secrets for years. Swecker said: “China, Russia, even some of our friends – Pakistan, India, Iran, North Korea – they target this type of technology.”
NASA JPL Director of the Materials Processing Group, Monica Reza, is missing (Image: Find a Grave)
Here the full list of scientists and people people with ties to America’s space program:
Frank Maiwald – NASA top scientist – DeadMichael David Hicks – NASA research scientist – DeadMonica Jacinto Reza – NASA JPL Director of the Materials Processing Group – MissingCarl Grimillar – NASA scientist – DeadMelissa Casias – Los Alamos National Laboratory worker – MissingAnthony Chavez – nuclear research worker – MissingGeneral William Neil McCastland – US General – MissingJason Thomas – pharmaceutical researcher testing cancer treatments at Novartis – DeadNuno Loureiro – nuclear physicist – Dead
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters