UFO seen in Kadena, Okinawa, in 1960

Summary

In September 1960, from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, a bright object shaped like a star was observed, changing color from reddish to white. It followed the curvature of the Earth for 10 to 20 minutes without changing course and disappeared behind clouds. The object was seen on three consecutive nights, with intervals of about two hours, drawing attention from observers.

Military reports concluded the phenomenon was characteristic of Echo I, a spherical balloon satellite launched by the United States. Despite no photos or radar use, the description and trajectory matched known features of this satellite. Analysts ruled out explanations like aircraft, balloons, or astronomical phenomena, reinforcing the idea that it was a space object.