Project 10073 Record Card - Griffiss AFB, New York - 5 December 1957

This document comprises a Project 10073 record card and associated correspondence regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon reported on December 5, 1957. The witness, who was driving north on the New York Thruway near the Saugatauries exit, observed an object at 1954 EST. The witness described the object as having length, appearing off-white or yellowish, and moving at a high rate of speed without making any sound. The object maintained a relatively constant elevation of approximately 20 degrees, moving from the north toward the west and then south of west, disappearing at 1959 EST. The witness explicitly stated their belief that they had observed a satellite or 'Sputnik' in an orbit contrary to those known to be circling the earth at the time. The report was processed through the Rome Air Force Depot at Griffiss Air Force Base and forwarded to the Air Defense Command and the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC). Official conclusions on the record card note that while the observer felt the object did not resemble an aircraft, the flight path, speed, and duration of the sighting led evaluators to conclude that an aircraft was the most probable explanation, specifically ruling out Sputnik. Handwritten annotations on the document include the phrase 'Poss Balloon' and 'Not Sputnik', indicating internal debate regarding the nature of the sighting during the evaluation process.