Baltimore, MarylandFebruary 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 22, 1961, around 2:30 a.m. local time, the pilot of a United DC-8 airliner reported a point of light near Baltimore, Maryland. The aircraft was at 31,000 feet on a heading of about 260 degrees. The object was seen for about 10 minutes. The report was relayed through an FAA controller.

The pilot said the object looked like a star and resembled the Echo 1 satellite. It was about 35 degrees above the horizon and about 10 degrees north of the planet Venus. It appeared to move on a heading of about 060 degrees magnetic. The pilot first noticed it because he thought there might be traffic in his flight path, but the controller reported no traffic on radar. No sound was heard and no color was reported.

A weather balloon had been launched nearby, but the forecaster said it would not have affected the sighting. The Air Force card states all characteristics of Echo 1 were present. With no conflicting information, the object was assumed to be Echo 1.

Reported location

Baltimore, Maryland

Date of incident

February 1961

State / country

MD / US

Page count

5 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 41

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 5

View transcribed text

hh RR Bi Cd i en
‘ PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD :
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS ;
O Wos Balloon
| 21 Feb 61 Baltimore, Maryland O Probably Bellon |
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION O Possibly Bolleon |
| I ibis 0 Ground- Visual ~ O Ground-Rador a Probobly Aireraft
| GMT 220230Z X Air Visual O Air-Intercept Radar O Possibly Aireraft
} 5. ‘PHOTOS SOUR O Was Astronomical | :
0 Yes O Probebly Astronomical
No | Military DO Possibly Astronemicel
7. LENGTH OF. OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE 8 Or. ,Echa I oo
| : ] - 01h Aad Dete for Evaluation |
EF 10 min 1 il |
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING White objt size of star.|1). COMMENTSA]1] characteristics of Echo
: Like Echo I. 35° above horizon on 060° head- | present. Reply to request for satellite
ing. not received. In view of no conflicting
: info, assumed Echo I. |
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) : :
| | : | /
3 sh ¢ 3 ’
: .

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28991498