Transmittal of Requested Data Regarding UFO Sighting During Titan Missile Launch

This collection of documents details the investigation into an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) reported during a Titan missile launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on September 7, 1961. The incident involved an object observed moving vertically in a tracking scope for approximately four seconds. Initial reports triggered a high-level inquiry involving the Air Force Missile Test Center (AFMTC) and the Foreign Technology Division (FTD). The investigation sought to determine if the object was a Soviet-launched missile or an anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system, given the geopolitical tensions of the era and the proximity of the launch to the Cuban missile crisis context.

Multiple sensors, including FPS-16 radars and various tracking cameras, were analyzed. While the FPS-16 radars provided erratic data during the second stage burnout, optical tracking data became the primary focus. The FTD requested comprehensive trajectory data and sensor information to rule out potential threats. After detailed analysis, including the review of 35mm motion picture film and comparison with other test footage, the FTD concluded that the 'bogie' was not in close proximity to the Titan missile. The final assessment identified the object as the star Gamma Piscium. The investigators argued that the coincidence of the star appearing in the tracking telescope's field of view during the missile launch was a rare but logical occurrence, supported by the fact that no other tracking sites reported the incident. The documents include technical data, such as the precise geographic coordinates of the tracking equipment and the specific field of view for the cameras involved, reinforcing the conclusion that the sighting was an astronomical event rather than an unidentified aerial vehicle.