Results: The report offered no distinct or separate findings of note and mostly summarized the findings of the Robertson Panel.[34]
Project BLUE BOOK (March 1952–December 1969)
Background: USAF Director of Intelligence, Major General Charles P. Cabell, established Project BLUE BOOK to study UFO phenomena. Based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, Project BLUE BOOK was the longest running UFO/UAP investigation. It was led successively by Capt Edward J. Ruppelt (the former Director of the reorganized Project GRUDGE), Capt Charles Hardin, Capt George T. Gregory, Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Roger J. Friend, and Lt Col Hector Quintanilla, Jr. The USAF recorded 12,618 UFO sightings between the years 1947–1969. J. Allen Hynek served as its lead scientific investigator.[35]
Project BLUE BOOK organized its cases into one of three categories: identified, insufficient data, and unidentified. For those reports that were categorized as identified, Project BLUE BOOK staff used the following categorization schema:
- Astronomical Sightings: These consisted of bright stars, planets, comets, fireballs, meteors, auroral streamers, and other celestial bodies. When observed through haze, light fog, moving clouds, or other obscurations or unusual conditions, the planets—including Venus, Jupiter and Mars—were often reported as UFOs.
- Balloons: These included weather balloons, radiosondes, and large research balloons with diameters up to 300 feet, which together accounted for several thousand cases. Balloons were released daily from military and civilian airports, weather stations, and research activities. Reflection of the sun on balloons at dawn and sunset sometimes produced strange effects which led to many UFO reports. Large balloons can move at speeds of over 100 miles per hour when in high-altitude wind streams.
- Aircraft: According to Project BLUE BOOK, various aircraft accounted for another major source of UFO reports; particularly during adverse weather conditions. The staff noted that when observed at high altitudes and at a distance, the reflection of the sun on aircrafts' surfaces can make them appear as "disc" or "rocket-shaped." They also noted that vapor or condensation trails from jet aircraft will sometimes appear to glow fiery red or orange when reflecting sunlight.
- Afterburners: Bright afterburner flames from jet aircraft were often reported as UFOs since they could be seen from great distances when the aircraft was not visible.
- Other UFO resolutions included stellar mirages, satellites, missiles, reflections, searchlights, birds, kites, false radar indications, fireworks, flares, and some confirmed hoaxes.[36]
Secretary of the Air Force Robert C. Seamans, Jr. announced Project BLUE BOOK's termination on December 17, 1969.[37]
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