3153N 12900E (FAR EAST), August 1961August 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

On August 12, 1961, a military observer in the Far East (coordinates 31.53 North, 129.3 East) spotted what he believed was an artificial satellite. The object appeared in the southwest sky at an elevation angle of 53 degrees and remained visible for 12 minutes before disappearing behind low clouds at an elevation of 22 degrees.

The observer described the object as notably bright, with characteristics typical of a satellite. He watched it move from a bearing of 220 degrees true (southwest) to 294 degrees true (northwest) as it traveled across the sky. The sighting took place at 2155 GMT (9:55 p.m.) on August 12.

An Air Force analyst examined the observation and checked it against the orbit of Echo I, an American satellite that had been launched earlier that year. Based on the timing, brightness, movement pattern, and elevation angles reported by the observer, the analyst calculated that Echo I would have been on a northeast orbit west of the observer's location at the time of the sighting. The description of the object and the duration of the sighting matched what would be expected from observing Echo I under those conditions. The Air Force concluded the object was probably Echo I.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, 12 pages.

Reported location

3153N 12900E (FAR EAST), August 1961

Date of incident

August 1961

State / country

? / XX

Page count

12 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 43

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 12

View transcribed text

|
| PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE ‘ 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS :
"i REARS O Wos Balleon
ol i 3 SRS p (Dp -
ToAug 61. 31538 12900F + AL EASY) O Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION i Ese
2155 v d O Was Aircraft
pm 0 Ground-Visual O Ground-Rodar OQ Probably Aircraft
GMT 0712557 Air Visual O Air-Intercept Radar | Possibly Aircraft
5. ‘PHOTOS . SOURCE O Was Astronomicol |
0 Yes 00 Probobly Astronomical
“Ne Milita O Possibly Astronomical |
7. LENGTH OF. OBSERVATION 3. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE ABX Other___Lx0b Fcho T |
D thi ciant Date for Evaluation
. a} -
12 min & IE iol
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Ob jt believed to be 11. COMMENTS Dosceiption of objt and duratidn |
1 satellite = sight 12 min observed fm 50° elev] are characteristic of satellite Echo I.
Ray I az. Disappearing in clouds at 20° elev | A computation of its orbit indicates thas |
| OLo® az, it was on a NE orbit W of observer's
: location at time of sighting. Therefore
concluded that objt was probably Echo I. |
1 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
1a Bh rad NR ad AAR ER BRR i i & HSE GATS ’ !
iE :
3 F 4 : /; :

/ 12

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28993979