◆ SpookStack

Approved @ release 2004/03/26 : cia-RDP81RoMBbR000100040013-4 planet or star. In these instances the cases are categorized according to ’ probably cause. A third method is the categorizing of those cases which are determined to be illusions, probably resulting from over active imaginations. Usually these cases are one witness sightings and ultimately fo21 into the "insufficient evidence" category. There are still many sightings which are due to the viewing of startling natural objects for the first time; i.e., fireball type meteors. In most of these instances the object itself, coupled with the relative inexperience of the witness, is the resulting cause of the sighting. he wie it is significant to note the adaptation of the public to the satellite era of the space age as evidenced by only one satellite being reported as an UFO during this period. The one satellite reported was ‘the startling re-entry of the Discoverer VIII on 7 March 1960. To date no report of unidentified aerial phenomena gave any indication of a threat to the security of the United States, nor were there indications that these phenomena were other than natural. UFO Report Evaluation - by Category and Percentage Breakdown 1 January 1960 - 30 June 1960 Astronomical, , .,. - ». 52 37-41 Aircraft a a Ae ~ - 5.04 Balloon 6 4.31 *Insufficient Data 51 36.70 Other (Birds, hoaxes, search lights, etc.) 19 13.67 Satellites (Re-entry of Discoverer VIII) 1 -72 Unidentified 3 2.15 173 100% *This category includes 37 sightings (21.384) reported by individuals and in each case there were no supporting witness and no additional information or facts available to allow a valid scientific evaluation of the sighting. Sight- ings of this nature must be discounted becaose of a total lack of supporting data. This in effect reduces the.total number of cases for the period to only 136 with 102 of these evaluated to date. In the case of the other 14 sightings in the insufficient data category, addtionei witnesses corobrated with sightings but did not provide sufficient data to allow a valid conclusion. Percentages are straight mathematical computations carried out to only two places based upon totals and sub totals,or categories. Therefore when worked in reverse they will not reflect the exact original total or sub total. UFO cases or files are not closed and should additional information be ob- tained at a later date, it can result in a solved case and/or may change the category previously assigned to the individual sighting (as in the case of a previously unidentified case being changed to the aircraft category). This open and policy on all UFO files results in minor changes from time to time in UFO category statistics. This also applies to individual reports submitted after the fact. These continuing inputs account for additional minor changes periodically which, of course, are not consistent with previously released fighres. Approved For Release 2004/03726 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100040013-4 MORE