Declassified UFO / UAP Document
PROJECT 10073 RECORD — Marloboro, Maryland, 11 October 1954
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AI-Generated Summary
A civilian sighting of a baseball-sized, yellow-to-red object in Marloboro, Maryland, on October 11, 1954, was officially concluded to be a balloon, despite noted inconsistencies in the reported speed and altitude.
This document is a Project 10073 record detailing a civilian sighting of an unidentified aerial object over Marloboro, Maryland, on October 11, 1954. The witness observed a single, baseball-sized object that appeared yellow and changed to red. The object was noted to have a small red trail and moved in an upward direction toward the northwest. The observation lasted for approximately 10 minutes, during which time no sound was heard. The estimated speed was 5 mph at an altitude between 8,000 and 10,000 feet. The report indicates that several other neighbors also observed the object, and that aircraft were observed in the vicinity at the time of the sighting. The investigating authorities noted an inconsistency regarding the reported speed of 5 mph for an object of that size at that altitude, given the 10-minute duration of the sighting. Furthermore, there was no report regarding the manner in which the object disappeared. Despite these inconsistencies, the official conclusion reached by the project was that the object was a balloon. The report notes that local weather stations were checked, and no balloons were reported to have been released at the time of the sighting, yet the final assessment remained that the flight characteristics were in accord with a balloon observation.
Speed of 5 mph of object thid size at this altitude would be difficult to note. Some inconsistancy on this point with a duration of 10 minutes.
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Official Assessment
Balloon
The object was described as a baseball-sized, yellow object changing to red, moving upward and to the northwest at an estimated speed of 5 mph and an altitude of 8,000 to 10,000 feet. The report notes that a speed of 5 mph for an object of this size at that altitude would be difficult to observe, suggesting some inconsistency. Despite this, the general description and flight characteristics were deemed in accord with a balloon observation.