DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE This cover is to be used only for offictal file ~eries recorded witb Australtan Archives. Fonn Number AR Ill is to be used for workmg papers. FILE NU}!B1H OLD AIR 580/1/1 pt. 23. REPORTS ON FLYING .AND OTE!F.Ji AERIAL OBJECTS. Referred to Aeterred to ARCHIVAL ACTION INSTRUCTIO BE FOLLOWE PONDENCE /l ARE CONTAI SINGLE SERI 3 t ltPr:. ~ llhA&Ii s.-r'rft f'lt/~CI.il IIJSv fll C rt~U.i/-1 !.l1H1('f 11'//!; Oop:lttment ()f Ooh!'1c.t (AIR FORCE OFFICE) MINUTE PAPER Subjcc1 RECLASSIFI"'ATIOl'f OF FILES Re:ferl'!nce: A. DI(AF)AAP 810 para 326. DEFAIR 580/1/1 RcfcrcncP554/1/30 (34) In accordance ''ith Reference A. all folios, in all parts of Department of Air File series 580/1/1 are reclassified ' UNCLASSIFIED' ,.,i th effect 7 May 82. nts Separate, Signals lost ~.lv t r l~..~.. .. t.th"n flth cd h\ 1hr StVIt'l U~i \1'r J ufl, red,, t.: ll "+tropIHC 11lhl lu "n \pr 11rhat nrr' the \dmlc'> '-t.';J,. cell .~nd bC';, . .un-mouniC'd q:n~ Jcz\, u~ rad.tr . nd tb<h" tr.tn.pon\J r iov:n the ~rac.:~x . o" t;,am N'K.I~ and ten lli" 'chu:h: tl.lnJbhnr m :o.p h:e wttlout td .. ,.,_ell) rc10rn Ll=kur "r th~ 'l'n:cran wa '"'knt en u~h t>J Jn IJe I he ' r rated p3rts ont. IS 2~ p1cc. mJliY'f"lnch ulrcaJyh.nc d,\.l)CJ rrom rl\it \1 k><l lhrcC Of the ru:\:C were llr~\! t"nou.:h IU prO\'Id~ b!.l,l..-1 lrad..mt ~1st,t ~hortt) .. IJ., r lhe t.ulur<, but T~(' f.ti!ure mtf'1t h.'"' occurrc:~t wlnlc tlC Salyut \':t~ out c,"'t r.m~t" or c:;U\'1\"t _ground Maft'\n~. pr.:, ... nhn!,; thl.: Sovactot from obt.lllung rd1~lk l.rlll :L' 10 th c-ausr oftht: atcidc:nt -,tlure of thr ~tlYi~" t<> launrh n mnnn~J Soyut >pacu,r.fl for n ren- dezvous woth lhG S"I)UI {\W&Sr 1\['f 16, p. l<)) mn}' h:.vc ~vctlc<l n n>.tjur ~rnc~ t: Jgcdy, ,oltllO\tg h ~ crew on hourd the sp.ocd:r.tfl misht hn\'<' rrcvrnt~d rhe lt ;, bdicvtd the Sov1ch drlnvcu the lif,,>lf o f a SO).SZ b~"u~c c>f cxtrcone so- l3r fi.ll C >WVil)' Will ,It t<VtOlcd II"' If Oil Apr 1 ""'' d!!\' aft(r tl,e S.rl~ ut\ laun.lo A l~unclo r:~d t><><htct r.r 'p:tccer:~Ct m. 1- fuue1fcn l!l!fhl e~hv h!lvc: J'rcdudtd :\So )'U.! ) un\.h btc:t ~ the S:Jiyut ~t t1un \ n~ b '<''ted I~IC :1 i'l!;ft pri.ons orbll Th-m:un ~u1~ (,f t~u~ S.I)Ul 1c; CX p r.:t:t! lu ''"' )' "".I rcC:Itcr the .otlr'> ;.,tmo :'lieu ~h u\ ~rr'cmh'"r O.:>truth<>n of the S 1) ut 1n the man ner ;'lbsr d ruuld I.J\'< r ultcd from <,nm< type oi cxp: 'I' n or po<sobly ~ wldl) firing thnhlor "l11cn \OUhl h3\'( .s~nt th.-<p~nn.lt ullo tumHug mao:.u- vcr;) h.'ll"' ~r~;,t ror the ~1.,r llnch and. olller arpendl~l..'~ t~ with\t.md The almt'\-;t imnud11tl; ~nhili'll d~C..t) c.\f somo Siil)llt uef'on, leuol<. <rcdtOCf! 10 tlot the<'') that lhe ~p:.cecrlll <ulTtr,,l '" ~x f>l.:>sicon. I ht' 'IUIC~ Ue.;') oJ pau.,~, i;uh"~atl!" lHl rtosion th.lt llf>plltJ rc:r >grudc rotcc' to ~. Jdrh. thro,ton~ i t hackw:~td along :he \lfbll,,l tr."~ ,;her" 11 woulJ ln<e ,lltitule much more <J<ridly tlt,in lbo,,e Jli<'I'C> blol'n lhrw . rJ nlung the or bit;,! tr~u;t. Lo ul the s . lyill "c\ptCI d hl h.l\'1' a more. ~.t;liu~ df,d <m th SO\'Iio!l nunlcd p:ott~m tt. n the d~Oith I r ''" three Str- 1.;" ., h.ot f .. tol m>hJp "" :raced JUILI!v to ;j dt>Chlllpat.:\ 1;:>a :lltU!t.ul (/\\\1.:.~1 Jut\ -; ht: 1 ... ,. t ;mh:,p rol. rJ..~ I he foullt rndcd in a pl.r1;,at railurc whrn Chc s,.)'Ul or'" t.ukd tv cnt~r the Sa1vul on.:c Tht' ~O\ l('l' al~ fatkd an :m .,uc-mrt Lt.' orb11 o 'eco11J function.1l ~lyul 111 July. 1972. \vhc1 11 dad not llclu~\t: ort\t be c,.;au~l.! ,,( .:l hoo)rcr matrun.:uon (AW&St Other rt,,bkrn.s behcved IO have oc ,urr~d in the Sllyut rr.,zr~m arc indl r.llcd on the 196<l SC1)'UZ 6, 7 :lnd 8 triple m.mnc.l 01sJ11 launched by the Sov1e1S 111 Octob::r or th.tt year. Origin.tlly <el for May, 1969, Soyuz 6 i~ t>dicwu to have been dcsJgncd ~s a solo cnj;in4!t'ring lltghr. The mission was de ... taycJ, however, beatltS~ of prtssur~ at B:l)konur to launcb the Lun.1 series. 'I he follow-on missoon to Soyuz 6 wa~ to have been the l~unch of Mtoth~:r S\'1- yut. in .:oltJunctioo with a boikrplate Sal- where r~udu,ous :md J"l~ibly d.:>ck- inj~eould ha'~ beco !<'Sled in prcpar.tlion for a manned longduwuon mis<~bn with a S:olyut m 1970. Soyut 6's deby UHO tile f:ill of 1969 i~ .11\n h:heved 10 have kd to a dcL15ion I<> fly Soyu1. 7 nnd the Loikrplale Salyut in a 11 wilh Snyul6. r.cry)cm' <VCnlJ,,Jiy OCCU(r(d Wilh lht Sai\ul l;o\\..,.d:r. \\h!Ch wc..,uld hJ\"~ I '"iocd tlC plOt lhghl into 1!1" Wihter or 1969 "hen manr:cd miS!.iom \\ere un de,rrahk ksl~JJ of wJtlinS for Salyut, the Sv' :ch readic l Suyuz 8 ar.t! sub- 'equcnlh lu.:n,;hcd ot in coruccuon "tth So' Ul (, and 1 A rdati'd) quJtk <iecision to !lunch a third r13hncJ spa<ecrJR during October probab!) prompted the scl'!\.-t..:>n .:>f an c' j'o:ricnccd crew consisting of co~c>- I'Nl". "'' Jo; ~ rec.r.notor.r nut \'I>Junor Sh lo ond \lc co ) c :and~ ma~'itttns-thc l'"'":' 101 Jmnual)' A noo.clb lmtcr, 11 :-.;,,vc:ntbcr l%<l, d.1to m<hc.llc the bc>rlerr tc <;, 1 yut "'as laun\1 ~J hut rao ed to ~ch1C\ , r t>1t Observer< ""'J the ~okrpla!c hdurc lr.m\mlllCd lclcmctr} qurlc mrl.u" to a. l.ucr <ua:cssrul S rl) ut botltlfll !C ldun.h Without a S.lyul \thdc 1n \\hrrh to con,iuct test-;, the-s\\\ ll; Jlcw th..; iS.. d y So)uZ q mtssion "' h ~c. 1<170 t;> co:lc,t mcdu:al dJI,\ on cxtcnJed fit Itt> In Dce~mbcr, IQ"O, " ,ccun<l lx I r- pl.ttc S.ai)'Ul Wt!.'l l.wn~ tcL1 su'"~.cr tully and lt>!cd under the &"''"' ol Co.mo' 38~. fhc 'uc,;c\\ful IC t or the ><>On\ h<"krpl.lle >p~ct~o~fl :<tl ,:1e ,t.og~ lor the SoyuL 10 an.J I I nr,,ion<, winch r~todcz vouscd \\ith the t'nl~ 'ucc,,rut $lyul cVr luunched Willt the S>~lvut 111L1pcr3 tivc. lhC S<'"'"l~ nrc h:-fl Wtfh :tt l~a't one SL-13 l..uneh vehicle m.Hcd to n Sll)'"' ~pacC<Joln The Sovic~' arc not ~pecle<l w po>l rone manned fir~hls ru111i thcu llllhf' WJih an Ap.:>llo >pncccrnft unJcr the Apollo SO)l>L I"C'i l'rOJcel m July. 197~. so a mnnn:d Soyu.t l~q;h~ ustng 1hc (~",h\ int. hnrdw~tr(' might t:1kc !'1.1<'~ on 1r~ >!'lie or the S~lyut "'" I '" the !>ov>el' not I<> u<c 1h~ C' i :rn~ !'oyutfSI .I:; 1on,- biu oli"n or her \dncle< !In< war wo !d tween So\lcl rrolnn .. 1thfh'' lhd 11 brrn flo" ''"' lll<nth"s Sll ) u\fSoyuz mt".o1 r;o!-.;o:y would M' r drawn ftom J. grt.UJ" nf co,mo"aut' m ~rJnirg for '""h fl1 h:, n\hdmll P \<I Popm ich. who p1l >tnl \'o,tot 4, \'~kry B)k>,sly, pilvr I \'o,toL 5, Uurr' \ \'oil nov, \\ ho tlcw ,,n Soyu 5. ~nd G(t. rgt G ShoHill. \\h\,) llc\ on Su"''Ut6 J.lr 11. Fenton, asin ttoad, LAU,{Ct.::il'O TAS Dear Si :r, With reference to your report of an unusual aerial sighting on 15th May 1973, it has been determined that the most probable cause of the sighting was orbitin~ dAbris of the Russian space station, SALYUT. The Salyut space station was orbited by the Zoviet Union on April 3rd but suffered a major malfunction on April 14th that caused the vehicle' s solar cells and boo~ mounted ..radar and radio transponder to separate fro: the main body. Suoeequent tumbling of the vehicle caused further break up, and ob rvations have since been mad~ of items of debris re- enterin l:.a.rth a at'Dospnere. i'he main hulk of the Salyut and other items are ~intaining orbit and are expected to decay reenter the atmosphere by September. the sighting was also witnessed by an observer at Riverside and his report is almost identical to yours. We tru3t that this explanation is satisfactory and thank you for your interest. Yours ~aithfully, Director of Public Mr A. D. Evans, 175 ~anvale Road, N~lliilu TAS 7250 With reference to your report of an unusual aerial sighting on 15th May 1973, it has bew.n determined that the most probable cause of the sighting w.o orbiting debris of the Russian apace station, SALYUT. The Salyut space station was orbited by the Soviet Union on April 3rd but suffered a major malfunction on April 14th that caused the vehicle's solar cells and boom mounted radar and radio transponder to Peparate fro>D the uin body. Subsequent tumbling of the vehicle caused further break up, and obsttrvations have since beee made of ite::l.B of debris re- entering t.arth' s atmosphere. 'Ibe main hulk of the Salyut and other items are maintaining orbit and are expected to decay and reenter the atmosphere by September. The sighting was also witnessed by an observer at Wynyard and his report is almost identical to yours. We trust that this explanation is satisfactory and thank you for your interest. Yours faithfully, d~Ls>rr-r--> Director of Public Relatione 1EMORANDUM I .,. w ichl n lho MAl'.,.,., Wt ltc or print clearlr f>,Or:rt ~IQ iR-2 UNUSUAL P>.t:QIAL ~lGHTINC, REPoRTI PRINTED NAME REFERENCES 11. If there was mor e than one light/object : ..... PHONE EXTN e..o.o. n n . hat was the colour of the light or object? .... Yellowic h whit (Lt r C"loureeo f<ESTRICTED HEPORI' ON UNUSUJU. AERIAL SIGHTING Part 1 -Report by Observer (As a preliminary to completing this form, the observer is invited to describe the sighting in his or her own manner, using either separate sheets or the back of this 4 . Date and time of start o:f' observation .. 15tl.. 6 . Observer' s location at time of sighting f~ir:~:t.Cr ~i.Yer~i<)e . How familiar is observer with this localitJ? ~!:! . ............. . 7 . ~eather conditions at time of observation .... ;~ . ............ .. escr1 e any a1 s equ1pmen use 1n eo serva 100 9 . ,\'here was object first observed? : d' "'ue south in vicir t , of Sovt~rn Cross from horizon 10. V.hat first attracted observer's at tent ion? , ~v;~"!~ .J..~r:~:~ ....... . 11. If ther e was more than one light/object : . ........ b . in what formation wer e I hat was the colour of the but slibht 1 tc t of r "m tior RESTRICTED 13. rbat was the brightness? (compare with full moon or common light source at a stated distance, e . g . ordinary street light at 100 yards) Brie,ht -:ts Soutr ern Cross stars 14. lhat was the apparent size at nearest approach? : relative to Venus or .oon "atellite <>i"' b. relative dimensions in inches at arm's length (about 20 inches 15. 'rhat were the bearing and elevation angles at nearest approach and ? Directl~ ovcrheqd (about 70/8o 17. Describe any sound heard, including changes in pitch and intensity 18. .ohat was the maximum and minimum angle of elevation (or height, if 19. What was the maximum and minimum angnlar velocity (or speed, if an estimate can be justified)? If necessary, compare with the move- ment of familiar objects at stated distances 5 rr'ins for "' . r"~ 5 radius t' f t t' h r.one- Describe any deviations or manoeuvres escr1 e any raJ. o e aus , vapour or J.g seen Wher e was object last observed Towllrr s !H. ~. prox. 4o d. ? G v" u loo :ing ~ was e manner o 1ts J.sappearance .... Do you know of any associated physical evidence (such as fragments, photographs, scorching ground identations, residual magnetism or State any training which enables observer to be reasonably cer-tain of his/her ability to estimate angles and angular velocity ... ... chool tr ch~r c<erlin in I t'lr r, .c E~('! RESl'RICI'ED 28. Do you know of witnesses to similar sigbtings in the area? 29. ~hat natural phenomenon (or phenomena) would be nearest to }0. What are your main reasons for excluding this explanation? 3 1 . Please sketch the light/object th all details. If appropriate, sketch position and/or movement of object in relation to your surroundings. Use back of form, if needed. RESTRICTED Part 2 -Unit Evaluation 32. l'he following mili te.ry aircraft 1.ere in the vicinity of the reported UFO position at the time : 33. The following civil aircraft were in the vicinity of the reported UFO position at the time : Give location of nearest ATD or ,T~ 34. Observer' s location: Latitude .. . .... Longitude ....... 35. Give bearing and elevation of any planets and major stars that 'llt:re in th,'>t portion of the sky at that time. By day, gi\e location of :;6. f, meteorological balloon was released from . J-'IJ..IJI\C,eJ!.t .op., , ....... Radio-sonde radar General wind profile : Candle batt~ry* (~' delete ~s required) Maximum height tracked .................... '!,as it known to have burst? Yes 37. The first significant temperature inversion was of - . C at 38. 1-.ny remarks on satellites, rocket~, ~search balloons, comets meteorites "tc. relev:mt to the sighting ...................... .... .. 39. \',h~::n o.n aircraft is a possible identification, includt. r'ldar trace RESTRICTED if available, and ascertain which of the aircr~ft lights were operating