Government1969

Condon report reviews astronaut UFO sightings

When: Jan 1969
Where: Boulder, CO
Sources: 2 public sources

Edward Condon, whose report reviewed astronaut UFO sightings National Institute of Standards and Technology, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A chapter of the Air Force-funded Condon report, by astronomer Franklin Roach, reviewed what Mercury and Gemini crews saw in orbit. It found most sightings explainable but judged three unexplained: two by James McDivitt on Gemini 4 and one by Frank Borman on Gemini 7.

Sources

OfficialScientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects, Section III, Chapter 6: Visual Observations Made by U.S. Astronauts (Franklin E. Roach) (opens in a new tab)University of Colorado / U.S. Air Force (copy hosted by Project 1947) / 1969-01
OfficialThe Full Condon Committee Report on UFOs (1968) (opens in a new tab)University of Colorado / U.S. Air Force (copy hosted by The Black Vault) / 1969-01

How sources are chosen and tiered

How the story came out

This reports on Gemini 4 astronaut James McDivitt reports an unidentified object (4 Jun 1965), Gemini 7 crew reports a 'bogey' and particles in orbit (4 Dec 1965), Gemini 11 crew photographs a tumbling object in orbit (Sep 1966), Gemini 12 crew sees objects outside the spacecraft, traced to discarded gear (Nov 1966), John Glenn reports 'fireflies' outside Friendship 7 (20 Feb 1962) and Scott Carpenter traces the 'fireflies' to Aurora 7 (24 May 1962).

See it on the timeline: happened vs became public

Where it fits

Earlier in GovernmentCondon Report released1969 Later in GovernmentNational Academy of Sciences panel endorses the Condon ReportJan 1969

See it on the timeline More in Government