50.35N 170.10W (Pacific), April 1963April 1963

Insufficient Data

Summary

A pilot flying over the Pacific Ocean spotted what appeared to be an orbiting satellite on April 28, 1963 at around 1224 hours (12:24 p.m.). The aircraft, call sign 8874, was near 50 degrees, 35 minutes north latitude and 170 degrees, 10 minutes west longitude when the crew saw an object pop into view at about 45 degrees above the horizon. The object was blue and white in color and was moving rapidly from south to north across the sky, which is consistent with orbital motion. The pilot and crew watched it visually until it dropped below the horizon.

Upon receiving the report, the Air Force circulated it through military channels including Pacific Air Force headquarters and Army, Navy, and intelligence operations. The case was quickly classified as a probable satellite. To help confirm this, officials consulted orbital prediction data from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The documents include detailed mathematical tables showing the predicted positions and paths of satellites like Satellite 1960 Iota 1 for the period spanning the sighting, suggesting investigators cross-referenced known space objects against the pilot's observation.

The brevity of the report and its quick resolution as a satellite meant there was limited follow-up investigation. No formal scientific evaluation or further interviews appear in the file. The case was carried in Air Force records as a satellite sighting and closed with that identification.

The full case file, comprising 23 pages held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.

Reported location

50.35N 170.10W (Pacific), April 1963

Date of incident

April 1963

State / country

? / XX

Page count

23 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 47

E E Es oT ja ; : : : PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD | FE 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS | E gi CO Wos Bolloon E 28 April 1963 50,35N 170,10W (Pacific) O Probably Bolloon 3 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION PLL ot | EE ; O Was Aircraft i fgetlEai iain iin ahh Anahi 0 Ground-Visual DO Ground-Radar a Probably Aircraft | 3 Sud] 29/ 10247 X8® Air Visudl 0 Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aireraft 5 5. PHOTOS ; . SOURCE O Was Astronomical 5 O Yes 3 O Probably Astronomical j B¥o Civil Arlines O Possibly Astronomical : 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE BX Other Satallito——— 3 g 0 Insufficient Data for Evaluation O Unknown ; not reported one Noth : 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS | Object assumed to be satellite orbit- |ECHOdeta—not-available, Object ing S to N, Appeared at 45 dgr eleva- assumed satellite by rpting ~ | tion. and was followed visually to the officials, Case carried as norizon, Blue and white color. Moving satellite, ; rapidly. A : Se F ¢ Ll 3 F . ! / A) . y {7 fr A : Led ng ti Wie Aor 'T PeSizrary # crt CREE y ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)