Project 10073 Record Card — Smyrna, Delaware, May 1961

This document contains a UAP sighting report filed by an 11-year-old witness from Smyrna, Delaware, regarding an event on May 25, 1961. The witness reported observing an orange-colored disc that hovered, moved back and forth, and tilted on an axis for approximately 10 minutes. The witness, who was in bed at the time, described the object as flashing or flickering low on the horizon, visible through trees. The report includes a completed Project 10073 record card, a hand-drawn sketch of the object's position relative to the woods and a dirt road, and a personal letter written by the witness to the President of the United States, which was subsequently referred to the U.S. Air Force. In the letter, the witness expressed interest in space and suggested the object might be a 'spy from outer space.' The Air Force responded to the witness on June 16, 1961, explaining that the object observed was the star Antares, noting that its position and configuration matched the star's appearance. The correspondence also provided information regarding the potential for confusion with radiosonde (RAOBS) balloons launched from Sterling, Virginia, which could appear bright due to light reflection. The document includes internal routing memoranda between NASA and the Air Force regarding the referral of the witness's correspondence for appropriate action.