PROJECT BLUE BOOK

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS 7/
Was Balloon
18 October 1957 9 Mi W of Benson, Arizona [9 Mi W of Benson, Arizona 0 Probably Balloon Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION 4TYPE OF OBSERVATION Possibly Balloon
Local1227 Ground-Visual Ground-Rodor Was Aircraft
000 Probably Aircraft
GMT__ GMT 19/0127Z AirVisual Air-Intercopt Radar Air-Intercopt Rodar Possibly Aircraft PossiblyAircraft
5. 5 PHOTOS DI 6. SOURCE SO CE 0 Was Astronomicol
Yes Probably Astronomical
:ONanoae rec'd Civilian Possibly Astronomical
Possible
7. LENGTH OF.OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS 9. COURSE Kxxothor_artiricialmeteor
0 Insufficient Data for Evaluation
0 Unknown
6_minutes one NNW
TO. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
A group of civilians had set up a Around this time artificial meteors
camera to view and photograph expected were being shot into the upper
Russian satellite. Satellite was not atmosphere to hdights of between
sighted, but right object appeared 35 and 5 miles at which heights
over SE horizon and traveled rapidly they glowed brightly erough to
across the sl kv disappearing over the be photographed.
NNw horizon. bjec brighter
than any star, bul right than
Venus. The light exl ibited a yellow-
ish hue giving the, imnression of
reflected sunlight. Three photos
were taken. were taken.
ATIC FORM 329 (REV ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) 26 SEP 52)
.

ESTIMATE OF HEIOHT
A simole calculation will yiald the minimum height of an object over our
saw the uniknown object thirty-eight minutes after sunset.
The eireumfarence of the earth at the equator is approxinately
5,133.
At Latitrde 32° this becomes:
25;133 c03 32°.21,313mi.
The soeed of rotation of the earth at our latitude is:
21,313 14.80mi/min
2
FROM
ROTATION A! SUN
EARTH
E
A
6
-

αt0n52
-8°0
We my now caleulate the hypoteruse A C of Langle A B C:
AC:4000 4000.4039.3m1.
.99027
Since line A D is Loco md, line C D is 39.3 mi. Thds is the minimum haight
of the object abowe the earth.
1
This is a c
edl
If the object we saw was illuminated by sunlight
absolute minimun height appears to be 3 9.3 -jles
3 4- 38 38
Itte rte
/
dee A.f.Gs. andy an
2- Ret t Ar. Haed
ditel June 9 1958

2.Middle oF SKy

7 73 SUPerIMPOSOd IN HANdlE Superimposod IN
HANd!E OF CF
biq d1Ppr-HNW SKY biq diPpr-MNW SKY +
4

2IOI CONSTITUTION AVENUE CAOLEADDRESB: NARECO
WASHINGTON 25. D. C. WASHINGTON, D. C.
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
UNITED STATES NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL YEAR 1957-58
May 27, 1958
I
Mr Mr
Assistant Direetor Assistant Dlreetor
Rosearch and Davelopment
Collins Radio Cumpany Collins Radio Cumpany
Cadar Rapids, Towa
Doar lr.
Your Letter of April 24, 1953 to Dr. has been passed on to this
report to the Snithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and d the Departnent of
Defense. As the report indicated, it does not appear likely that the object
. was assoclated vith Sputnik I. However, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observa-
tory is angaged in neteor research as well as satallite tracking and will
undoubtedly be slad to receive this infomation.
Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
USNC-Iox Earth Satellite Office USNC-Iox Earth Satellite Offica
C0: CO: Dr. "9AO SAO
Major Zugene B. Duff, AFCRe Major Zugene E. Duff, AFCRe
Dr. W. H. 3 Dr. W. H Akering, JPL cering, JPL
11

Expe
Meteors Held Prelude
teors were caught by the track-
DAYTON DAy NWS 23Na457 ing cameras because they glowed
due to the resistance of the
atmosphere and the heat of the
Of Rockets to Moon explosive charge.
He estimated the atmosphere
at that altitude as approxirnately
one one-hundred-thousand;h of
the air density at the surface of
the earth.
First Apparent Mt. Palomar Observes Blast
Launching s The brightness of the explosion
was placed at minus 10 magni-
Breakthrough Into Space tude or more than 5,00o times
I BU brighter than the Soviet satellites
which at their brightest rival
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, MaSs., Nov. 23— the brightest stars.
(U?-An Air Force scientist said today that the suc- The explosion was observed at
cesstul launching of artificial meteors into interplanetary Mt. Palomar about 600 miles
space "undoubtedly" prepares.the way for a rocket to away and even at that distance
astronomers said it was brighter
the moon. than any planet or star.
Maurice Dubin of the Geophy- force on the rocket than on the Dubin refused to c o m m e nt
sical Research directorate of the pellets. when asked if the explosion in
.Air Force Cambridge Research The pellet experiment "should the night sky might have trig-
center,.said that by using a tech- also prove very useful as a tool gered numerous reports of bright
nique similar to that employed for controlled experiments in the objects seen in the Southwestern
to hurt the meteors into space, physics of the upper atmos- United State about that time.
scientists "could hit the moon." phere," Dubin said. Astronomers, however, dis-
He said such a moon rocket Last night scientists said the counted any connection. They
would travel under conditions artificial meteorites blasted into pointed out that maximum radius
similar to those through which space from over the New Mexico for observing a meteorite after
the artificial meteorites broke desert have"unquestionably' it hits the earth's atmosphere is
out of the earth's gravitational escaped into interplanetary only about 100 miles.
pull. areas. The experiment, Dubin said.
** * Dubin said the 40,000-mile-an- was suggested by Prof. Fritz
HE SAID the rocket would take hour speed on the ball bearing Zwicky of the California insti-
about 10 hours to travel the 250,- sized peilets broke through the tute of technology and was first
000-mile distance to the earth's earth's gravitational pull and are attempted in 1947 using German
closest space neighbor since possibly being drawn into the V-2 rockets.
gravity would exert a greater orbit of the sun.
THESPACEexperiment,
which began Oct. 16, at the Hol-
loman Air Force base at Alamo-
gordo, N. M., was believed to be
man's first penetration into inter-
planetary space. The initial an-
nouncement of the project was nouncement of the project was
made here yesterday. made here yesterday.
Dubin said that only two of the
original pellets were tracked and original pellets were tracked and
scientists had no control of scientists "had no control of
what direction the pellets would
take after the explosion. .It was It was
indicated that as many as 1000 indicated that as many as 1000 AEROBEE ROCKET AEROBEE ROCKET
pellets were used. "LMilas.Abnyg. Eacth LMiles.Abny'g Farth
The launching was explained The launching was explained
this way: A 1100-pound Aerobee naind
a three-stage
rocket, carried a nose tip con-
taining three "shaped charges"
of aluminum pellets and explo-
sives. The Aerobee automatically
separated at the 35-mile point
and the nose tip continued 1 19
more miles upwards where it
exploded. blasting the aluminum
pellets into space..
The blast of the "shaped

original pellets were tracked and
scientists had no control' of
what direction the pellets would
take after the explosion. It was
indicaied that as many as 1000 AEROBEE ROCKET
pellets were used. 5t_ Miles Above Farth
The launching was explained
this way: A 1100-pound Aerobee
rocket, in effect a three-stage
rocket. carricd a nose tip con-
taining thrce "shaped, charges"
of aluminum pellets and explo-
sives. The Aerobee automatically
separated at the 35-mile point
and the nose tip continued 19
more miles upwards where it
exploded, blasting the aluminum
pellets into space.
The blast of the shaped
charge" was very bright--5000
times brighter than the Soviet
Sputniks and more brilliant than
any star in the heavens, accord-
ing to reports from observers at
the Mt. Palomar observatory
some 600 miles away.
*
SCIENTISTS SAID thAt mOSt of
the "grape-shot" pellets probably
burned up within the first half-
mile of flight. But at least two of
the meteorites definitcly escaped
the earth's gravity.
The bright glow of these objects
The Aerobee rocket. following
the "shaped charge" by two or
three miles, was undamaged by
the explosion at the 54-mile point.
It was recovered by scientists
about 20 miles from the blasting
test area.
Dubin said the rocket contained
intact instruments which gave in-
formation on cosmic rays and also
metcoric dust exsting naturally
in the upper atmosphere.
The experiment, which was
suggested by Prof. F. Zwicky of
the California Institute of Tech-
nology, was first attempted in
1947 using former German V-2
rockets. The Oct. 16 project, how-
ever, was the first successful at-
tempt and followed a series of
failures, scientists said.

178 1%/01302 Ripro Mo. D
51
Mutti SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION UEO O..F4.
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY 1t1158
. Cn Amg
OTher
3ECTION OF UPPER ATMOSPHERE STUDIES IGY OPTICAL SATELLITE TRACKING PROGRAM
CAMBRIOGE 34. MASSACHUSETTS SO GAROEN STREET (poss ArTiFIcIAh MeTO)
rure 13, 1958
Cartain Jeorge T. Gr-gery
. Alr Tecrnical Latelligence Canter
wrignt.Fatte -.As Base
P. 0. 301 9307 ..
Daytor, Cnio
Dear Cartain:
The enclcss' rav be tnterest to yov!
COCl Hnek
I. Allen HYCEK
JAH:1c
Encls.
date:
of early
Plan retuon
JA.
7-3745
7-3745-47

Form No. € ②
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION (Yob. 1, 2961)
MEMO ROUTING SLIP
TO THE FOL ORDER INDICATED
NAME OR TITLE INITIALS-DATE
1. Dr. J. A.Hyned
2. Capt. Gregory--please return when finished
3. Ruardue
and mil dse. e.
4.
Your information 4 Note and return 4
Your comments Proper signature 0
Your recommendation Your initials
REMARXS
wll  mas attrahe
Thande or antheting i
Dars
o c Jua9/58
PHONN
18---43986-1

③
June 7, 1950
Dr. J.A. Hyrh.
UNIDEMTI A
Station Scordirates: 3t
Iime: 1500t010 1957. 5, 19 (01;01.3m7)
Direction.of Travel: St-iw
Magnitude: rrobsbly about -l F
Angular Veloci:v: 0%3/8-0.
Expectea crossing or. i957 Alpna. It sasms rather ode that these
ooservers exl-ated a orossirp ol l9st Alpna on the everinx of
stations in tne mornirgs oniv arcund this date, But for 4
Mr. erv definit- rentlon ot eveninss taho nis
brightnese comrarison to V-mus ther in the e.ening sky) one
might suspect a nix-up betr-er. Mst and UT, and adding instead of
subtracting. Seven hours fror Ihr.l (tn- time they exueeted
object appsars toc siew. Couid not such oojects as
this be large mete orites whfch nave been slowed down by
previously."akiogiy througt our atmospheret
Artificial Satelliter
Artificial Meteor? Around:
metoory were Deln; metoory wore eln; shot into the speer atmosphere to shot iato the speer atmosphere to
haignte of between 35 anc o0 miles -t which heights thes 35 anc o0 miles at wnieh heights thies
glowed brightly wrough to be photographed by the Air glowed brigntly urough to be photoxraphed by the Air
Porce Nissile Develcprent Centre at Alamozordo, N.M. Poree Nissile Develcprent Centre at Alamogordo, N.M.
Piring point is net elear, but they would prcbaoly have Firing point is net elear, but they would prcbaoly have
to be tired from tne -xtreme south ot Pexas to take the to tae'rad fuom TAA teketr
direction of the obiset aern at Senson. Benson's
heignt of about uO milea would arree wi th tnis.
Plane ? Susgest.tne prints be examined witn a hign power
Magnifyina giass. . Buspeot trail may consist or two
trails very olose covether, on- very faint (susgesting
plane's wing lisht).
A.B.G.

yorm No. ④
BMITHIONLAN INSTITUTION (Xob. 1, 1251)
MEMO ROUTING SLIP
TO THE FOLLOWING IN ORDER INDICATED
NAME OR TITLE INITIAL&-DATE
1. STAH-RMA
2. -
3.
4.
Your information Note and return $
Your comments Proper signature 0
Necessary action Note and file 0
Prepare reply See me 0
4
i
M
ar
:
Darn
-FLW.
PHONE 2
-4

2IOI CONSTITUTION AVENUE CAMLE ADDWKBS: NARECO ③
S. D. C. WASHINSTON, 3 C.
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
UNITED STATES NATIONAL COMMITTEE
INTERNATIONAL CEOPHYSICAL YEAR 1957-58
May 27, 1958
:
Dr. F. L. Whipla, Dirsctor
Smithsonian Astrohysical Obsarvatory
60 Garden Street
Cambridga 38, Maasachusatts
Irelosed for ycur information is a detailed report of an October 13,
1957 aighting at an unidentifaed ob ject. Siailar infoczation is beiag
traneaitted to Major Duff at Arcxc, except the prints, bf which only
oue set vas available, Please pass thase palnts dn to Major Duif if
you have no need for them.
Siacaraly yours,
L. M. Carnder
DaNC-IGy Earth Satallits Offics
Inclosures
ST

Recvd£S0
24 April 1958 5-19-58
Dr. William H. Picharing
Director, Jet Propulsicn Laboratories
Caliroraia Inatiturte of Technalogy
Pasadoan, California
Dear Dr. Hakaring:
I epclsaing drart cory togather with thres photographs
as you wlll notn,
odnorTs te sighting of an unidaatifiad object cn 18 Cetobar 1957.
Thougch this report is sevaral wouths ald, it ws not brought to ay
the raport ia dosirad, 47%
ye can supply it in i fiaisbad fora. I have furth sory tronieed the 7/10s
engintera Lavolved that I would roturn the report to then aand so vouls
appreoiate ita return to me vhon you have finisbed vith it. I wula
be yaay pleased to diseuss this matter with you in more detall in tha
future if you dosire.
Very truly yours,
COLLLNS RADIO COMPANY COLALES RADYO CCNPANY
x
R. L. AeCreary R. L. MeCreary
Asistent Director Asistent Direetor
Reeearch and Devalogaant. Raseareh and Devalogannt
Cadar Fapida Miviaisn Cadar Rapida Divlaisn
dep dop
-

7
AN
A REPORT ON THE SICATING OF UNIDINTIFIED OBJECT
Location: 9 mile went of Benson, Arizona
31° 57'33" N, 11C° 25 5" W
Date: · 18 October 1957
TLAa: 1827-1833 MST
lu .
Obde
the aatallite in orbit. The satellite was scheduled to appear at 1839, and on
this tay tne rocket was reported to be leading the satellite by twenty-six
nimates. Thus, we expectad that. the rocket, if seen at all, would aopear about -
3aN.
The rocket was not seen at l8l3, but we continued to watch tne sky, and
1833. The object was brighter than any star in the shy, but less bripht than
tha olanet Venus vas on that nipht. The light exiibited a yel lowish hue, and
it was our cuinion that it was reflscted sunlight.
")

Tha.satellits itself
signal ceaks is ninety-six minutes, as exected. Thus, we telieve that the
Tamera mounted on a trinod. The exoosure time was roughly five seconds, and the
the reapective prints.
???
tly
WMW -
11-8-57
-