Project 10073 Record — Johnston City, Illinois, 21 July 1966

This document contains a Project Blue Book record regarding a sighting reported on 21 July 1966 in Johnston City, Illinois. The witness, a 16-year-old male who claimed to be a government-supported satellite tracker, observed a bright, circular object moving from the North to the SSE at an elevation of 45 to 60 degrees. The witness described the object as having a constant brightness comparable to the ECHO II satellite and estimated its angular size to be between 0.5 and 1 degree. The witness reported no sound and noted that the object disappeared, possibly by entering the Earth's shadow. The witness expressed a desire to identify the object, speculating it might have been Proton 3 or Explorer 32. Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr., Chief of Project Blue Book, responded to the witness on 22 August 1966, stating that the object was likely a satellite or satellite component and advised the witness to contact the 1st Aerospace Control Squadron at Ent Air Force Base, Colorado, for more precise tracking information. The file includes the original Project 10073 record, the witness's correspondence, and the completed U.S. Air Force Technical Information questionnaire.