PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD - 4 July 1963

On July 4, 1963, a sighting of an unidentified object was reported by personnel aboard the USS COOK at coordinates 25.02N 127.15E in the Far East. The object was observed for 11 minutes, beginning at 1310Z. It was described as having the appearance of a first-magnitude star, moving from a bearing of 320 degrees at 10 degrees elevation to a position overhead, before disappearing suddenly at 1321Z at a bearing of 108 degrees and 54 degrees altitude. The report was processed under Project 10073. Following an evaluation of the object's trajectory and orbital data, it was determined that the object was the ECHO I satellite. The analysis noted that the satellite crossed the equator at 1234 heading northeast, and given the timing and the observer's position, it would have reached the peak of its orbit and turned southeast, placing it in the observed position. The report includes naval message traffic confirming the details of the observation and the identification of the witnesses, LCDR J. E. White and BM1 H. F. Caudle.