STAFF STUDY - 1952 (RUPPELT) USAF Historical Archives Maxwell AFB, Ala 36112 t l r of by us o ful ';)' sci ntific t a w:tll leas d to the sci nt:lsts coop rnt i ng on t.h project nd 11 be n the col1 etion ctiviti s , so in t~ft op r tion it a inimwn by th 1aplo3 nt o xt t ng 1 :1: it r ;md public gen c i s to a. m mur1. r or th.is re s on conf. r nc 1 l d with ,ATS to work out arr gerents whereby ill >e moni d by tt J r onitor d ~ light f~rvic et i s of th nstru .nt tion p1an. Suggested Sighting Station tor Obeenatton of S uo r , eteora, and ~ther Atmoapheric henomena. 1 . The Sighting Station 1a cheap, transport bl~, eaoily aintain d and easily oper ated.. 2 . The Sighting Station shall g ther intonnation from Which can r,_ detennined& b . Velocity J c . Altitude J . Spectral ~iniasion It is proposed to build the Si ghting Station component wise as follows: a . Light gathering and focueing source ie a ai.x inch Schmidt ~stem r 12 with a 100 tield tully corxected. (This system haa only been available about three months based upon the results ot a Flight esearch Labor tor,r reaenrch project ith Dr. Jamee Baker of Harvard). b . The film travel and loading mechanism to be taken from standard Air Force cameras and adapted for epring operation. Five inch 3trip film would bo suitable. c . The Sighting Station box would be fabricated as d sired. d . A grating capable of being rotated by a spring driv woulo ~ placed at the focal plane. This would givo the spectral characteristics of tho . A shutter capable of being driven by a spring dri va '\'lould be inOOrpJl"&ted. to give timing marks on any film tracks. ~. The film section would be mounted on a simpl equatorial mount end otated by a spring drive to eliminate tho star track on the photogra.phio DISCUSSIONs Present Air Force tilm travel and loading mechanism for fiv inch film are available in quantity and have a storage capacity which can allow for en exposure nery 1o-12 minutes tor a twenty-four hour period. It should b m t.lon thBt ordinary t1l.m can be exposed tor at least two hours at night tiJ without excessive propoe4 Sohnddt yet l eo caD let.e}3' olor correct aoaurate apectral analfeia perteot~ teaa1 le. rot ti 1 int.roduo.a t o t t.h unt rtun t .... -l t r l ,.,., .... would be into t t.rul . n t b th revioue point ot the tra"l the epeot woul at right le to tt or t r vel lt the i.ng wer rotated. nt uc lion or 1m .. b t r h t 1 c ne exposu" This about in the following IUUmer a,nd """"' lt will be ted that the nbter 1ntrodu h ~ aialpl1f7 t tl: 1ng ech nie .n d v ry . 12 ahould be time vi Th1a will bracket any track toun r . a within tbie pe <>4. nlocit.7 will be determin~ by a ahutt r cut :\n th track at oonetant number um t, tJme. U altitu e and a aolut ter or an objeot to be ned the obj ct muet by at l t t i ht ng Station. Tbia g1 n t.he well know11 trianale t hod o! anal.ysi 1 r ok in ap " as.!nat a st r background i.e siven in both I lates t th two s1 ht- inl et.at:l.Gil8. beolute tiae a not &1 H , there 1 on...... :.::.~ that. a obJ could ucle JOOd the trajeoto17 aa gi by both pl aga1 e the at.ar Tbua tilDe 1 ~ thia cw a solut. oai ti or1 ill apace at a apecif:lad timSJ ! 8 8 &baolute poaitior,j f t li C 8 altitudJ thia a abaolute eic ot object. The velocity and ft! ctral analya!a c fran the oth&r ta. '!'be .:~tor A1 ount md 1 .s ,. ri G dr.1 1 frier. . th troncm- ca 0 .. enat ry b \l i.n ti $ . 1 t.o ol.:t.m.in t tt-v 1 Cor .r o o! Q-12 1..nute .a q ~ t cot .. 1 .. t o r 1 en n t#V .. lO.arc\ e use or apri-I1g3 to dr i v the mechan1 s s ir.dicat d pre ously perteotl.7 !easl le. }Jr.ing ,.. be n u t d to 1ncr es th . er.ail,l\ ... , . , .\ ot th ~lit; 1 Station ... eleotri<;aJ co .necti cn a. l'he timated cost of th Sighti t tion in loto r 100 ould .. J Ol ;:.,. ~L:El~ El lS Chief, PhYeiCP F.esearc Br "1Ch Flight reoearch Labor tory . ,.eae rch Di vi aice1 AIR TECHNICAL INTE.LLIG~ NCE CENTl R WRIGHT PATlER5 0 N AI R rORCE BASE DAYTON. OHIO ~olonel Edl-rard H. Por er IJ~ ut irector for Estimates Lir:ctora Le of. Intelligence Dec Colonel Por tcr: Yottl" 1 t,ter of he r f'l is ackno..,rledeed. . e are ..... d l,o obl. in your ~enerl <'oncurrence lvith o ul' recor..mendati ons . Th re a 'pear to be t lu-ee or ~i b l e methods of handlin'"' tlJe si tua tionJ one of t-Il ich ~o- pocal I) is ai preaent utilized. PROPOSAL I . (ATIO alvne) a . Pro j e c t Blue Book tvould be ha.nr4led b y r_TIC alone. 'Tl ~re wou ' 'h.:\ no organi ~ed :rutsid e helr. into tt-1o cater,or1 es: (1 , n ACTl ~ J fc r .'Tl.mediate ! rocessj n a num- berec fnlC't.r; and (?) "l"._. ... C':I I , for ._TIC fercnce file. fl . A 't' l ~ w c v 1 ~t r~o OV\&1~ It l-or odf Pt o C'h VJ .,. d. ...J.'I~ ;:H .. 1 1 rep are and furniah J. ... ~ _ .;- 2 wit a flash report._, ani 1ter) m rt' -ort and a m.:tlnl'( ~' folder ...,_ taini ~ a co 1.leLeu ~ct:ion II l ('r -Ql ill t e.. TIC ,.oul c prepare and furniPh ffOI'"- " H'i th serni-annual re- ports on the sit ~ ti on. 1"'hc.Je rer orts 1iOt1l d 1 ~!:' t all slghtj n () 'ur- irJL the peri.oc, v;i+,h indivich:al actior, :o telt~i,,n and re~,;apitulation or ori~lns ( pJ clnet Ven\1~, be: 11 oonr, :..rc-r~f t, mi1ar.;es, e t:.c., urJ~not~n). PRO :USAL I l . v7ould not exceed three peop,_r~ 1.4..l..d act as counselor to !.TIC c a:i.llnan v1ould act as l1:i ~"" lo:= V'e snokesman on Blue Book matters for US.b.F _ '--<.A.f-ert'od IC'r '-'tfen. tH!/'..-b tr;l1ecl kt.t Ar/?.) sue .... cs ~e n nca inc ude: Gen ral no ittl ; Gl':i crs; a. 1 b -~r c sci .. nL:i fi other s . They trou e selectc.. :tn 1 ) Contractor Tt<l j " 1 Con t "'tor vro1 1 r li chn~ca ... roup of C!c cntj fj c p r- si ti tvo l<i 1 _ (' u~n: - l ( d in a nur er, d .. o .aer for :mediate consider<:' l-.~n. 2 . Ore .. ... ould, 11h n n cessar , conduct in te roc at t'lE deternd.ne cate ory into ,:ses of ll incorrnns d~t 1:icl phenotoua cou d f:.,l. 4. Group Houlcl retu1n t) .. TIC completed ac :l o 1 nul ibered folders o n all t:"ichti r"'_/.,. f mck c "V 'labl~!, to the tecl r .. i(:~,.l erol ) J lTlLrbt.J& of h1'l'sciontific se:.ff as consult" ts n var) r fje1o~ ('1r1 r'l' n...,, for evLlnple, t1ato ps .. r Ofo~) Su ..... ee::t ed , ..., of contractors - - ... ht :l nclu ~: l~ C Corpor- atd on; Battelle Men:orial Inst ' 1te; JJliA-<tt f.b.dl. ; ? --; - :TI.; o tl-41\c t:l.nvr to mor~tor a l phases as ali present. .. TIC uould be respo1 ,l ~ l-1. ""Cl L ... r .. '"'.,ease. in the e ~ rly s ~ ..... s of all si .... tin~s.'On-! ad~1hot1.~l PIO +-ci/Qe ptrson~t~l reqqJ 3 . . .""IC 11oul ftlrrri sh t.,..c ")nt.rac I~Gl 'ac:h.n.i.cal ..... roup eJ. dat a on t i._.htings as thr. Here l0C"ived. 4. ..TIC r1on1_ p clJ1 tl e pr c ,~ure to be r-o lo\;e,' ,., t!'l~e n6';essa!'y operal.. \.P1al s ~e: s ~:"' oul d inv~ ..... a t e , , si~htine re.orts :nr .1 :or contractor technical e_rot..r) 6 . _ :c 1:rould u n.i.sh the hi h l ve. advir-or., ~ u~ t-t tJt-m l'ffhlq ~erj Ju!V .. mar rep::rrts 1 ~ ~ed on the cornpJ cted ac ~. i r n numbered folderE furnished l ~ the con.l~ ~acto .. ' echn' ~a ~ 'OU.l> These sununru: es uould Sl :'L 1~ the hil.Jh level ad- ,lr;or comm.i.Ltee v-rith the nec~SL-.41'., 1 atsr l for ' T"f""'r- ma ... ion relGas~: ,. u !-rfx1f tJovlcll'le e _ /f/1-er zf !lr lraBfr r!Ja 1! NOTE.: Do e f e.ortt~hM '!. t/J/f1.1 ! h t> crrt?.lt. ,, ear~ r Jn ~n nIt 1~ enerally _,. lent or t e PWm re nont..t.l.&f~ resolve t o prc,bl i o or ot:rmt i c 11 or t thie t ooientif o mull itioa l10 d be cxoel- o to t, e -wow level, e.n e a a}{ n e blic . * one TIC tox-t il_, illVit to tt t . It onn 1 t th rea .. ontJ ctcri ti a igu~ tion, rtoxrnnc CO ~ C OV-C-3 ~M-f c rat l y ,.. '1i c tor ~vould be u i ven cor1p e liE 1 tori 1.. ... , p an 1in .... ~ ' u d i 1 and assess.' ne of Proj ect Jluc Book u nder Lhe ovePa11 Sll~ vision of . TIC v o \ioul act as .AC ( Approv- itle ffici 1 I There -v;ou d e tv1o hand i r catet,or es: d iatc y t o t 1e c o 1-,r ctor in r 11 red"f~ o.. roc~s- si! e. The S8CI;nn : t r_ ......... J.d II -oul d 'iled . L .TI: for r~fereree. Co ... trae t r ; " ~ld conduct all :i '.i t'ro, ~ l,ionF and , , ld ......... cic in the I. .. l"t.ment < ~ Lt...fr 1~e ince s one needf"~ Coni r cto1 Houl(i furn.i sr _:fJ.G v J- :a) :'1 ::.' re1 ort , ased o .. v iJ.'"'~)le :information '1in a fe1: l--<. urs o recei1 t of 'Lh .. 'Jf'I J"l' folder or te enhon)c info1, at: J f the c nten~s o:: this : .>J--... , folc ~1 . ) ~-') Inter:j m report Conmleted act ion renort f o::! fc:JteT O!l (! cb ~ctLon .... i u 'd;,' It_. VlVwt~er-~ /.-c;lcter o~ would ft .. r nJ r.h .... Tl.J 'ti l tl1 e 1-ant11 c 1 ren 'ri s on t h e c i tuation. These re1;ort s v c t1 \, i st ... .11 s _ C::.u.rine the period 1 tl ir r 01 1_ act ) '::onclusions '-rc~ r c.c, .?itulal ion of origin~ (11" '1Gt 1 r~nu::., l 001 ) a:..r- ~1 press releases and would . ::'IC -v:ould be responsible for .... c-'-_ s spolc,' : n for Pr ~ ct, Headc ... t a1terc U .......... , for press Lh P _ rector o r InlJel i .... rn<''.,, ;olone Ed\tJard ... Porte1 2 July It is considE ,,,' L} td.i of J rr ~th ~<.) 1 , ! ibl~ me hod::. Pttt :ined a ov , PR:o::-..G.\I): v1oul d ~ic.l<i he bestl<-~:su1t. , This pr posa r vo:.. I ere.- ~pvuibil'v for Irojt.,Ct Blue Eor'\1'" activit \-rith his Centt .. , but :it lro- vldes both the authoritativeness of a i h level ~pokesman c....v' the och- nical c, abilities, in a1l scj enti r c fjeJ.ds, of a repllt~')lc contractor. It is furthe1 l!onsi t,crt-'1 1at, Ru.nd Corporal~ion, r availcll c , l'lould no'""j udeq 1ut<: l J ulfi.l 'Lh"~ con L.ractual requi1 nonts. e proper-, if no cl i - ll:QP'~H1~e:tu :.-n . :f' 0 :lr.: l II-~ Qc {.. v ap_,ja &g;hft. rt'n;r/J~tlcr/Jin 11 , 1 one J , DSi.F ~. Your letter of tho fifth :1 n acknowledged. 1ve al"o elad to obl;,a:in your eeneral c oncun~ence with our reconJMendat,:lons. Thtro appoar to be t. re~ possible methods of handline the situat'ion, one of vth.ichfi5 at presen util:i z d. PROPOSATJ I . (ATIC alone) IAJ..V..).,Jct a . Proj~ct Dlue Book handled by ATIG alone. There ~no organi~ed outside b . ATIC woulrl receive alJ reports, consider and s e greeate them into two cate- lOries: (1) ACTION," for in11ned1ate procer-;s:ine in a nurrberod ~older; and (2) "NO ACTION," for ATIC reference file. c . ATIC would prepare and furnish AFOIN- 2 wi t,h a flnsh report, an interim re- port and a numbered folder cm taining a conpleted action report on each uaction u ATIC wi3:\ prepare and f'tJXnish AFOIN-2 with semi-annual reports on the sJ. tua- tion. These reports would list all si...;ht:i ngs du~inL the period, with individual action, conclusion and rec 1.pi tulati on of oriuins (planet Venus , l:.< 1loous 'Ani raL<"S, PR0POSAL II. (ATIC plus Contract Technical Group plus Advisory ComrrJtt~e) a . High Leve.~ Adv~ory Co111lll?:t~ee 1 . 1\ Not ~ exceed three pe ople \:ould act, as counselor to .. TIC 3 . Chairman would act as hi.e_h level spokesman on Blue Book matters for U.S.\F Suggested names might includeX1eneral Doolittle.;~\ a member tific advisory board; otlters I.AV..Uf/.,;,' JU ..)..., b. Contractor T.echnJ cal Group of the sc ien- ll~l Ctf1~ I 1 . Contrd.ctor would set up technical group .(not exc eedj115 three percors) of scientific personnel o 1-;hom data on all sic,ht.ings vrculd be fur- nished in a numbered folder for immediate consideration. 2 . Grrup would, when nccosnar , conduct in terrogatj ons. 3. Grou woul d make continu:i ng ana:ly. es of c:u..l. incor.ti ne da t.a Lo d LerminP. categol into l.rhJch phonomena could fall . h. Group r10uld r e turn to ~TIC completod actio n numbered folde,~s on all siehtines. 5. Contrrtctor woJ.l d make available, to the t e chnica l Lroup, m fl her s cf his scientific staf~ as cons ultants in various f i cld5 (inc] ,If, .. ~, for exampl e , that of ~ycholOLY). NOTg: ~u ...... t.csted nat.es of' contractors rrt''""'ht i nclude: nand Corpora :l.<Tlj ... _a~- t elle 11PlnOl'ial lnsti "Lute; 1 . TIC l ou d continue to mo ni. tor ~s a.t nresent . 2 . ATIC \:oul d be responsibl e for prE;ss releases i 1 the earl~ Rtae;es of all si[hti 1~s J . .\TI C 1--vculc f nni~h the contr-C'lcr t.ech.-1ical JI' 1up eQ dat~ on ~ ~ .... ht- ir.;s as t.hP~ were recPi ved.-UAt1 fo Ia 11 rh e pr-e c Ed Jtt f he Jcllc vr-f , f 4. .TIC wou d--tt:rv't:l-t1/iJ-co rt -i:urest.i t lltl the-ef:!oril-s" ep_.,c:it:E,'Va .."olrler in c'u licate ( ct-py f()r TIC files a nd 1 co.~,)' :or contractor tec~n.ic"1l 6rC)vp) ~). 1. TJC 'o 1l d fu .rnish t(le hi~h level advisory t_7'oup "\:i th perj odj c Su!r..rncr~t reports ma.hi-r:..r, 1~e coMplF ted a.ctj.on nm:1be-t d f( l ( furnic ltf;d bJ the c o ntrBctor t.echnic:a] L 01 r . These SUIT'Ji cr i f.'S wou d s u ply t l e hiu~ level advisory col .mittee wjt,l the r.,:cersar., r.:ate .i(.l for infc rmation r eleases. TiOPOS .L IJ I . (J~TIC rl"s Contr. ctor) 1 . Contractor 'ould be '"'ivcn cor.. :>1 t~ rnoni o ri r L,A h:,noJ 'nc of Project Blue Book under the overall su1ervis)on of .. TIC ;ho ,,tould act as 0 (. pprovi nc Off:ici~l). rh~;e w ot.~/d ~ e 1-tu o nCfvrc/linq 2 . ~teLOri(.S: II ~8TI 0!~ a nd II ~10 -~CT} or The first '., .iCTIONl') .;ou d be Dr'Jf irnmcd:! c. t~el to the c :>ntractor i.n a nur,1.; red fj le for pro c e&sine. 'rhP secorrl ( " 1 0 ACTION ) ~oulC: be ~:i 1 ed "t A1'IG for 1 c..fcrcmce. 3. Cont.1act~o1 1-1ou.ld conduct, all in erl' ot.,s.l:..i.ons and v:oulcl noce~saril' h ave t o be in a positjon too e!ate wi.th acenc f -in the Le ... Hrrtment of De- fense since sorre needed act.i ems rllLht require dist1 b11ticn b., .tt.:ir Force unite. h. Contractor -vrou d fux1ush ATI C \::i.t h (a) Fla~h r~port bat~ed on available information and a rapid asst:ssMent. (This uould be required wj i rin a fev7 b ours of receipt of the folder or teJ ....... J_onic ..:.r forna- tion of t r_c contents of Vlis C'l'IOr" folder. ) (b) Interim report (c) Completed action report from folder on each action sjLhtine S. Contractor would furnish ATIC wit.h semi-annv.al reports on the situation. These re1Jorts t-rculd li~t all ~ithtines dur.:.rg the p~l'icd with innivichwl action, cor.clusione and recDpitulation of origins (planet Venus, btlloons,A rnirat,es, etc. , unknovm). ATIC Res "J:jorl5 .Lbili t ; 1 . ATI C 11ould be res .onsibl e for all press rt-leases and l-JoulC" act as spok esrr.an for Project Blue Book. Alternately, i t '\vould fla-nich informa- tion to the Lirector of Intell:l gence, Hc9-dqu'.trte-1s USAF for press re- l e a ses or brjefine actiun~. " It i & considered that of the three .ossibl e rnef~hods outlined above, PROPC\~AL II