MUFON的前身是艾伦·乌特克(Allen R. Utke)、小沃尔特·H·安德鲁斯(Walter H. Andrus, Jr.)、约翰·舒斯勒(John F. Schuessler)等人于1969年5月31日在伊利诺伊州昆西成立的中西部UFO研究网络[3][4]。不少创始成员皆来自于空中现象研究组织。1973年,因组织逐步扩大而更名为UFO互动网络(Mutual UFO Network)[1][5]。
^Trares, Ryan. Have you seen a UFO? Hoosier investigators aim at identifying unexplained. Franklin Daily Journal. 11 October 2012. (原始内容存档于2012-10-14). When local residents see something in the sky that they can’t explain, they call the Mutual UFO Network. The nationwide organization receives dozens of similar reports every year of unusual lights in the night sky.
^Trares, Ryan. Mutual UFO Network investigates sightings. Evansville Courier & Press. 15 October 2012. (原始内容存档于2012-12-03). Most often, the reports can be explained naturally. Refracted light in the sky, electric flashes high in the atmosphere or meteors easily can be mistaken for UFOs.