Declassified UFO / UAP Document
PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD: SIGHTING OF 17 FEB 62
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AI-Generated Summary
A military aircraft reported a greenish object with a sputtering tail over the Pacific on February 17, 1962. ATIC investigators concluded the object was a meteor rather than a rocket reentry.
On February 17, 1962, at 1418Z, a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) aircraft reported a sighting in the Pacific region at coordinates 18.30N 164.25E. The report was filed under the CIRVIS (Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings) system. The witness described observing an object with a greenish color and a white sputtering tail. The object was visible from an elevation of 45 degrees down to 20 degrees. The direction of travel was not reported, and the duration of the sighting was not provided. The incident was documented on a Project 10073 Record Card and disseminated via multiple military staff messages to various commands, including CINCPAC, CINCNORAD, and the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) evaluated the report. While the initial observer suspected a rocket reentry, ATIC analysts noted that the report lacked the characteristic breaking up and the reddish color typically associated with reentry events. Consequently, the investigators concluded that the sighting was more likely a fireball or meteor, stating that the color and flight characteristics provided sufficient information to classify the event as a meteor sighting.
There is enough information to classify this as a meteor sighting.
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Official Assessment
There is enough information to classify this as a meteor sighting.
The sighting was initially reported as a possible rocket reentry, but the lack of reported breaking up and the absence of a reddish color associated with reentries led investigators to conclude it was a meteor (fireball).