The first satellite the US put into space was called Echo. It was a Mylar balloon type of satellite that unfurled after it hit orbit. At the time it was the second brightest object in the night sky next to the moon. The satellite was not that big. If they made something similar but on a much larger scale it would appear to be a UFO. Make a lot of them and you have a show. The New York sighting was attributed to Mylar balloons and people were fooled. Also don't forget the top-secret military shuttle that has been roaming around up there with an unknown mission the last few months. It could be "sowing seeds".

The disappearing village story is interesting, but I've seen magicians make lovely assistants disappear as well.