Project 10073 Record Card: Sighting of 15 May 1961

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and associated military communications regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed on May 15, 1961. The sighting occurred at coordinates 4510N 5045W over the Atlantic Ocean. The object was described as a bright white light, comparable in size to the star Altair, and was observed for a duration of eight minutes. The witness reported that the object moved in relation to the stars, appearing at a bearing of 110 degrees true at 60 degrees elevation, and eventually dimmed and disappeared at a bearing of 120 degrees true at 10 degrees elevation. The observation was visual only, conducted by a Barrier aircraft flying above scattered clouds with unlimited visibility. The military communications, including messages between COMBARLANT and other commands such as CINCLANTFLT and the 25th NORAD Region, confirm the details of the sighting. While the initial record card notes that the report contains insufficient evidence for a definitive conclusion, the final assessment provided in the documentation identifies the object as a probable satellite. No radar contact was reported, and no photographic evidence was obtained.