Project 10073 Record Card — Springfield, Massachusetts, 13 August 1961

On August 13, 1961, at approximately 2245 local time, five individuals in Springfield, Massachusetts, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The witnesses, including two children who were watching for meteorites, described a round, very bright object that appeared to be silver-yellow in color. Estimates of its size varied, with some observers comparing it to a half-dollar and others to a fraction of the full moon. The object's flight path was described as generally straight, though several witnesses reported that it made frequent stops, decelerations, and, in one instance, a zigzagging motion. Two of the original observers reported hearing a jet-like sound that transitioned into silence, while the other three observers reported no sound at all. One observer noted that the object appeared to grow a tail when accelerating. The duration of the sighting was estimated between 15 and 20 minutes. The investigation was conducted by TSGT Melvin Lieberman of the 99th Bomb Wing (H) at Westover AFB. The official conclusion reached was that the object was the Echo I satellite. This was supported by data from the Smithsonian Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which confirmed that Echo I was visible from Springfield in the northeast quadrant of the sky at the time of the sighting, traveling from the northwest to the southeast. The report notes that the witnesses, who were familiar with the appearance of aircraft, were likely deceived by the satellite's irregular light patterns caused by its tumbling motion, which created the illusion of stopping and starting. Despite the official explanation, the report acknowledges that the witnesses remained convinced they had observed something extraordinary.