Project 10073 Record Card and Related CIRVIS Reports

This document collection centers on a series of CIRVIS (Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings) reports filed between April 6 and April 10, 1962, regarding sightings of light streaks in the sky. Multiple military and civilian observers, including a pilot with 5,000 hours of flight time, reported seeing a comet-like object with a distinct tail. The reports originated from various locations, including Hawaii and over the continental United States. The observers described the object as a light streak with no apparent movement, often resembling a contrail. One witness, a pilot, noted that the object appeared to be a light streak and was visible while flying in a T-33 aircraft. The official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 record card is that these sightings were attributable to the comet Seki. The file includes technical information sheets completed by witnesses, incoming staff messages from the Department of the Air Force, and supporting documentation from Science News Letter regarding the visibility and behavior of the comet Seki during that period. The reports were systematically processed by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) under Project 10073, with copies distributed to various military commands, including NORAD and SAC. The documentation reflects a coordinated effort to identify the source of these widespread reports, ultimately concluding that the sightings were astronomical in nature rather than unidentified aerial phenomena of unknown origin.