Project 10073 Record Card — Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, 12 October 1957

This document collection details an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) sighting reported on 12 October 1957 near Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Five observers, including military personnel and scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, reported seeing a strange object while on a fishing trip. The object was described as a sphere or cylinder with protruding spikes or antennae, which hovered, rose, descended, and moved at a high rate of speed. The witnesses, who observed the object through binoculars, initially expressed concern that the object might be hostile. The report was formally submitted to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) and the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) under the requirements of Air Force Regulation 200-2.

Following the report, an investigation was conducted by the 1608th Air Transport Wing and the Office of Naval Intelligence. The investigation included checks with local radar units and the Air Force Cambridge Research Center (AFCRC). The AFCRC confirmed that they were conducting tests involving aerially launched radar-reflective balloons in that region. These balloons were described as spherical, approximately 17 feet in diameter, and constructed of polyethylene plastic and aluminum foil. The final evaluation concluded that the sighting was likely one of these test balloons. The report notes that the observers' perception of the object's size and shape was likely influenced by the distance and the reflection of the setting sun on the corner reflectors of the balloon. Despite the initial alarm, the investigation found no evidence of unusual aircraft or hostile activity in the area, and the incident was classified as a balloon sighting. The documentation includes sketches of the object, the boat's position, and correspondence between military officials regarding the evaluation of the sighting, as well as broader concerns about the potential for pilots to misidentify natural phenomena or test equipment as hostile missiles during periods of international tension.