Brooklyn, New YorkJuly 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

On July 30, 1961, two friends in Brooklyn spotted a moving object crossing the sky in a northeasterly direction at approximately 9:36 p.m. The object was white and dull, similar in size and speed to the Echo I satellite, which the observers were already familiar with. They watched it travel in a straight line across the sky before it disappeared behind buildings.

The witnesses reported their sighting to local newspapers, but received no helpful information. They then wrote to the U.S. Air Force's Air Intelligence Center on July 31, asking which satellite they had observed. The Air Force responded on August 8, requesting that they complete a detailed questionnaire and submit it to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

The observers filled out the extensive form and provided their best estimates of the object's position and movement. They noted that the object appeared as a bright light and firmly believed it was a satellite based on its characteristics and steady flight path. One person indicated that he and a friend had previously observed the Tyros satellite, which may have aided in their initial identification.

According to the Air Force evaluation on the case record card, investigators noted that the description and duration of the sighting were characteristic of a satellite. A check of satellite positions at the reported time concluded that the object observed was probably Echo I, since that satellite's location matched the position reported by the witnesses.

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

Reported location

Brooklyn, New York

Date of incident

July 1961

State / country

NY / US

Page count

12 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 43

A : EE Sa— hu ed tir enisi on i " Tp RET Ta ore Bos snes wre coi yoo ws rc 1 N | . PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD RE BT are ar paar EO ARR I. DATE 2, LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS NT Rr gh FONE Ral 0 Was Balloon oY JUL DL & 1 Aug 61 LLOORLYT, New York 0 Probably Bolloon Be DATETING GROUP mm eee ee i 3. DATE-TIMZ GROUP | 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION 9 Possibly Bolison A AE Ten \ Pa RE HP a ° 0 Was Airzrafe Locale C+ Graund- Vi sual O Ground-Radar Q Probably Alrerafe CMT. 2Y.L504 0 Aix Visual O Air-Intercapt Radar |B Possibly Aircraft 5. PHOTOS | & SOURCE 0 Was Astrenomicol 3 Yas 0 Probebly Astronomical XBNe Civilian 0 Possibly Astronomical | 7. LENGTH OF 03SERVATION | 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE Bi iy Po] oo TO HR O Insufficient Date for Evaluation BH : 0 Unknown J = dian ! al. Ay iY . 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Dull whitz stnvlike LGU COMMENTS oo ription and duration are 1 about same size and speed as Hcho I, Stra ight | chavact 2ristic of a sate Llite. A cheek : flight path. Bel eeved to ba sa tellite by ob- indicates thot satellite Echo I was as : SEIXVers. 1 Aug sighting same except for time Position reported at tims of sighting ap a bia Dat RRR &3 HS = a PER 2A dirseticon differad by 20° to N on £1 igat ppfb.is therefore concluded that objt observed vas probab] dR etc La EH 20 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 16 SEP 82) bi 17]