PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD - Sighting of 8 Feb 61

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and an associated Naval Message regarding an unidentified object sighting on February 8, 1961. The sighting occurred at 1957Z at coordinates 23-34 North, 149-42 West. The object was described as a bright white light with the appearance of a first-magnitude star. It was observed for approximately eight minutes, moving in a northeasterly direction across the zenith. A second observation was recorded at 2205Z at 23-22 North, 150-20 West, where the object was again sighted bearing 304 degrees true, moving northeasterly before disappearing in the Milky Way at a bearing of 337 degrees true. The Naval Message, transmitted by the USS John S. McCain, was addressed to various military commands including CINCPACFLT and PACAF. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) was that the object was a satellite, specifically identified as Echo I. The report notes that while specific radar echo data was unavailable, the observed characteristics were consistent with satellite observation, and no conflicting information was present to suggest otherwise.