Project 10073 Record Card and Correspondence — Tucson, Arizona, February 1960

On the evening of February 24, 1960, at approximately 1820 hours, a witness and his wife were driving west on East Broadway Avenue in Tucson, Arizona, when they observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The witness initially mistook the object for a jet contrail, but noted that it did not lengthen or spread. The object, described as an oblong, white, luminous metal structure, performed various maneuvers, including sharp turns and changes in direction. The witness reported that at one point, two diagonal streaks of light detached from the main body, circled, and were subsequently reabsorbed. A very dim, spherical shape was also observed behind the band of light. The sighting lasted approximately 8 to 10 minutes. The witness reported the event to Davis-Monthan Air Base and the local newspaper the following morning, receiving no confirmation of other aircraft in the area. The witness later completed a formal U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet, providing detailed sketches and descriptions of the object's behavior. The Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) subsequently evaluated the report and concluded that the object was the reentry of the U.S. satellite Discoverer VIII. The documentation includes correspondence between the witness and the Air Force, as well as internal routing slips and the completed questionnaire.