NASA is set to release on Thursday the findings of a long-awaited study on unexplained flying objects in Earth's skies.

The US space agency announced last year it was reviewing evidence regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs—which has replaced the term "UFO" in official parlance.

The subject has long fascinated the public but was shunned by mainstream science.

An independent team of 16 researchers shared their preliminary observations in May, finding that existing data and eyewitness reports are insufficient to draw firm conclusions, while calling for more systematic collection of high-quality data.

It's unlikely Thursday's report will change that bottom line—but it could eventually usher in the start of a new mission for the agency.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said his country could soon send its first astronauts to the Moon in a Chinese spacecraft, hailing Thursday a scientific cooperation agreement reached with President Xi Jinping.

Maduro arrived in Beijing on Tuesday after a tour of Shanghai and other Chinese cities, meeting Xi on Wednesday and agreeing to "upgrade" ties with Beijing.

Maduro announced during his meeting with Xi on Wednesday that the two countries had agreed to train young Venezuelan astronauts in China, with plans to eventually send them to the Moon.

A special task team "on scientific, technological, industrial and aerospace cooperation will sooner rather than later (send) the first Venezuelan man and woman to the moon in a Chinese spacecraft", Maduro said.

"Very soon, Venezuelan youth will come here to prepare as astronauts in Chinese schools," he said.