UFO identified as ECHO II satellite in Utah

Summary

A civilian in Provo, Utah, reported seeing a satellite on April 13, 1964, around 20:10 local time. The witness, curious about the object's identity, contacted authorities for clarification. The response came quickly: the object observed was the ECHO II satellite, an inflatable sphere launched by NASA for communication studies. Records confirmed that ECHO II passed over the area around the time of the sighting. Although it might initially appear as an unidentified object, cross-referencing with ECHO II's orbital data solved the mystery. This case is a classic example of how satellite sightings can be mistaken for non-conventional aerial phenomena.

The official letter from the military confirmed the satellite's identity and reassured the witness, who did not provide further details on the duration of the observation or the object's trajectory. Despite the lack of photographs or additional data, the temporal match with ECHO II's path was enough to close the case. This type of official response was common during the Cold War era, when interest in unidentified flying objects was at its peak and any aerial phenomenon generated curiosity and, at times, concern.