40.02.6N 10.17E (ATLANTIC), May 1963May 1963

Insufficient Data

Summary

On May 21, 1963 (about 8:10 p.m. by Greenwich time), the crew of the ship USS Gearing in the Atlantic Ocean reported a flying object that appeared to be rocket powered. The position was about 40 degrees north, 10 degrees west. The object produced a red vapor trail, which the crew presumed was caused by sunlight reflection.

The trail looked irregular. After about two minutes, the object appeared to climb very rapidly until it was lost from view.

The Air Force, in its Project 10073 record, said the report had all the characteristics of a missile observation. The climbing motion ruled out a meteor trail. The case was evaluated as a possible missile observation.

Reported location

40.02.6N 10.17E (ATLANTIC), May 1963

Date of incident

May 1963

State / country

? / XX

Page count

2 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 47

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 2

View transcribed text

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PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
A x 0 Was Balloon :
, 1963 40,02,6N _10,17r 7 7¢ i710 Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION == 10 Rossby Bolloon
Localities snd cris 5 eat 4000 @RGround-Vi sual O Ground-Radar 0 Was Aircraft
p 0 Probably Aircraft
omr__21/20102 HHA r- Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aircraft
TR ee a TE 1 TL eS NE Ee ce UES
5. PHOTOS - SOURCE O Was Astronomical
O Yes 00 Probably Astronomical
XX No Military O Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE YF Other Missile Ke kL
O Insufficient Data for Evaluation :
3 0 Unknown
Cen tes nc nats op ome. 0 cp not reported | co oo Eh
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
Flying object, rockel powered All characteristics of a missile
sighted from a/c, Obj assumed Lo be observation are present, Climb-
rocket powered and produced a red ing rules out meteor trail, Pesi-— :
. vapor trail assumed to be caused hy t toop—on known missilte—ange course
the sun's reflection. Trail seemed to | Sighting eovaluated as possible
be irregular, Obj climbing. missile observation,
/
7a, g ya
RE I i SR Cl bps EE Liss Sor Sh SI RS Re DR i oI
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 STP 52)

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 29000846