Balloon rocket sighted over eastern US in 1959

Summary

In October 1959, a civilian observer in Rhode Island spotted a bright object with a 30-mile-long trail. The initial report classified it as likely a balloon rocket launched from Wallops Island. Witnesses in Massachusetts and Connecticut also reported the phenomenon, prompting multiple calls to air force authorities. The Air Force concluded it was a known space launch, though the initial mystery led to a coordinated response to reassure civilians.