NASA research jet sparks online buzz with unusual flight pattern over New Jersey and New York City

1Trenton, NJ – A low-flying NASA Gulfstream III research aircraft drew attention and speculation Saturday after executing a series of symmetrical east-west passes across New Jersey skies.

The twin-engine jet, designated NASA 520 and operated out of NASA’s Langley Research Center, was conducting methane mapping flights as part of the APMAC CONUS program, which aims to create high-resolution, regional-scale datasets of methane emissions.

The plane’s repetitive flight tracks, visible on public flight radar websites, fueled social media chatter from curious residents.

NASA says the mission uses specialized instruments — including MethaneAIR and HALO — to measure methane concentrations in targeted areas. The aircraft’s nadir portals allow scientists to collect atmospheric data over large