[sunbug]

Yes there could be several subheadings of this Myth/Dream/Happening:

SETI (and I’m betting Campbell knew and the quote you provide Stephen might be in response to that as well as the phenomena on a whole)

But if wanting to bring together concrete and transcendent and past and present. And jumping into the Game and Story of The Public Myth?

Dare I reference: Erik Von Daniken?

Or even more so Zecharia Sitchin?
There could be a whole piece on both of them.
ZS took the ancient myths and ran with a whole new interpretation (which yes played into the whole UFO theme)

I do not have to ask Joe Campbell’s opinion *wry grin*

But such imaginings created a myth life of their own which has highly influenced part of this UFO/ET Dream/Wonder/WhatIf?