Project 10073 Record Card and Incoming Staff Message — 16 Dec 61

This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and associated incoming staff messages from the Department of the Air Force, dated December 16, 1961. The report details a sighting of a single, star-shaped object observed by an aircraft crew at 160606Z. The aircraft was positioned at 61-15N 06-45W, flying at an altitude of 6000 feet with a true airspeed of 195 knots, operating in clear conditions above a low overcast at night. The object was described as having the brightness of a first-magnitude star and was observed for a duration of three minutes. It was initially sighted at 15 degrees elevation at 090T azimuth and subsequently disappeared over the horizon at 055T azimuth. The plane commander evaluated the object as a probable satellite. However, the official assessment recorded on the Project 10073 card concluded that there was insufficient data for a definitive evaluation. The comments note that while the reporting official believed it to be a satellite, the direction could not be determined and the duration of the sighting appeared short. Consequently, the case was closed as having insufficient data for further analysis.