Project 10073 Record — Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, 9 August 1969

This document is a Project 10073 record detailing an unidentified aerial phenomenon sighting on August 9, 1969, at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The primary witness, a 1st Lieutenant and mechanical engineer, observed a self-luminous yellow light for approximately eight seconds. The witness described the object as circular, lacking wings or protrusions, which appeared to turn orange and then go blank as if it had landed. The witness noted that the object's brightness increased during the time of the color change. The report includes a sketch of the object and its trajectory. Additionally, the document contains a summary of a telephone report relayed from Holloman Air Force Base regarding a fireball observed by Mr. Bob Thorpe, the Civil Defense Director of Eddie County, New Mexico. Mr. Thorpe reported a fireball moving from West to East that he believed had impacted approximately 25 nautical miles south of Carlsbad. He intended to organize a search party for the impact area. The Kirtland Air Police initiated a search for the object, but as of 090520Z August 1969, the search was called off with nothing found. Major Peterson of the Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) emphasized that the AFSC (SCFP) would likely require a copy of the report, given that the object was observed at an AFSC installation. The official conclusion recorded on the project form is 'Astro (METEOR)'.