NASA Astronaut Saw 'Alien-Like' Creature in Space Shuttle Atlantis Leland Melvin, former astronaut and NFL player, revealed the incident during a social media discussion with conspiracy theorist, Scott C. Waring. He says he spotted Melvin described the creature as "translucent, curved, organic looking." Leland Melvin, via 'Daily Mail' When he reported the object to NASA and asked what they thought it might be, Leland Melvin, via 'Daily Mail' The former astronaut dismissed the idea of a NASA cover-up but ended with, "You never know."