62.30N 08.20W, April 1962April 1962

Insufficient Data

Summary

On April 15, 1962, the crew of a U.S. Air Force WV-2 aircraft spotted an object in the sky near Iceland (62.30°N, 08.20°W). The object appeared as a greenish white light, roughly the size of a pinhead held at arm's length. The aircrew first saw it at an elevation angle of 38 degrees, appearing toward the direction of 165 degrees true (roughly south-southwest). The object remained visible for three minutes before disappearing at a lower elevation of 18 degrees and a direction of 145 degrees true.

During its time in view, the object seemed to follow an orbital path moving steadily eastward at constant speed. The aircraft was flying at 6,000 feet altitude when the sighting occurred. Weather conditions were clear with a light haze layer, and the wind at the aircraft's altitude was blowing from 212 degrees true at 36 knots.

The Air Force evaluated the object as a probable satellite. In particular, the case file notes that the object matched the appearance and orbital characteristics of Echo I, an early American satellite launched in 1960. At the time of the sighting, Echo I would have been positioned north of the observer's location and heading back toward the equator, which matches the path and behavior the aircrew reported.

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

Reported location

62.30N 08.20W, April 1962

Date of incident

April 1962

State / country

? / XX

Page count

12 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 45

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 12

View transcribed text

oa PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
] - RE + ALD Ch an NA. nr tr x GJ Ves Bolloon
15 April 1902 62.30 N 0.20 O Probably Bollson
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 3. TYPE OF GB5ERVATION BLE Ld tbat
: : A 0 Yes Ahcroft
Looot eee 0 Ground-Yisuol O Ground-Rodor 0 Probably Aircraft
___GMT 4.0 5 LUG 1 Ai=Visvol 0 Air-Intercept Rador DO Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS 3. SOURCE 0 Was Astronomicol
3 0 Yas 0 Probably Astronomicol
f T Ne Military O Possibly Astronomicoi
7. LENGTH OF C33ZAYATION | 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE TE Be SORR
0  Insuflicient Dota for Evgluation
: a are ry 0 Unknown
3: MELIY, | 1 JA
10, BRIEX SUMMARY OF SICHTING : _, |1 commenTs 2
Single greenish white object observed at 30 On 10 April at 02568 Echo was at
elev 165° Az, disappearing 3 Min. later at 47.4° N. Sighting-12 Min later 15°
10° elev. US5°Az. Following orbital path further N. Longitude at 0256.87 was
to E at constant speed. Airzraft at 6,000 WX|46.18 E. Echo would have been visible
y clear with light haze layer. Looked like to the 5 at the time of sighting going
| Echo E Just prior to changing from a S-N ori 114
tation to a N-S one heading back toward
i equator. Case evaluated as Echo I.
E ATIC PORM 329 (REV 25 SEP 52)
E

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28996752