MUFON的前身是艾倫·烏特克(Allen R. Utke)、小沃爾特·H·安德魯斯(Walter H. Andrus, Jr.)、約翰·舒斯勒(John F. Schuessler)等人於1969年5月31日在伊利諾州昆西成立的中西部UFO研究網絡[3][4]。不少創始成員皆來自於空中現象研究組織。1973年,因組織逐步擴大而更名為UFO互動網絡(Mutual UFO Network)[1][5]。
^Trares, Ryan. Have you seen a UFO? Hoosier investigators aim at identifying unexplained. Franklin Daily Journal. 11 October 2012. (原始內容存檔於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. (原始內容存檔於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.