Visit of Dr. Condon to NPIC, 20 February 1967

This memorandum for the record, dated 23 February 1967, details a visit by Dr. E.U. Condon and his research team from the University of Colorado to the National Photographic Interpretation Center (NPIC) on 20 February 1967. The visit was conducted in the context of a $300,000 U.S. Air Force contract awarded to the University of Colorado to study UFO sightings. Dr. Condon was accompanied by team members Dr. Richard Lowe, Dr. David Saunders, Dr. William Price, and Dr. Thomas Rachford. The primary purpose of the visit was to introduce the team to the technical capabilities of NPIC regarding photogrammetry and photographic analysis. Upon arrival, the group met with Mr. Lundahl, who established specific ground rules for the collaboration: NPIC would provide technical assistance in measuring objects in photographs but would not produce written reports or draw conclusions regarding the UFO investigations. Furthermore, any work performed by NPIC would not be identified as work accomplished by the CIA. The visit included a series of briefings on photogrammetry, microdensitometers, isodensitometer experiments, and various measuring instruments such as the Point Transfer Device, the Mann 800 Comparator, and the Benson-Lehner Plotter. The morning sessions focused on basic fundamentals of photogrammetry and the challenges of analyzing UFO photography, particularly regarding the lack of metadata such as camera type and focal length. The group concluded their visit with a lunch meeting following a discussion on UFOs in Mr. Lundahl's office.