Project 10073 Record Card and CIRVIS Reports — 23 February 1964

On February 23, 1964, at 0315Z, the crew of a C-133A aircraft (tail number 62007) reported a sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon while cruising at flight level 200. The aircraft was positioned at 56.45N 41.10W. The crew observed a large, bright green object arching in a northeasterly direction. During the observation, the object changed color from green to violet and then to orange. The object was reported to have exploded just before entering an undercast, which was estimated to have tops between 10,000 and 12,000 feet. The intensity of the light produced by the object was sufficient to illuminate the aircraft's cockpit and attract the attention of crew members who were initially facing away from the light. Multiple CIRVIS (Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings) reports were generated and transmitted to various military commands, including NORAD, SAC, and the Air Defense Command, as well as the CIA and DIA. The official evaluation recorded on the Project 10073 record card concluded that the description strongly indicated the decay of an object. Specifically, it was noted that while there was no decay reported for February 22, 1964, an object identified as #755 had decayed on February 21, 1964, which was determined to be the likely cause of the sighting.