Balloon observed by radar and theodolite in Richmond

Summary

A round or conical object was observed for hours in February 1965 by multiple civilian and military witnesses in Richmond, Virginia. It was spotted through a theodolite and picked up on radar, causing some concern. The bright silver or aluminum object was also seen over Baltimore, Washington DC, and Wallops Island. Despite its mysterious appearance, the official conclusion was that it was a balloon. It had been launched from Arizona with a volume of 6 million cubic feet and carried a cosmic ray experiment. The balloon team confirmed its launch on February 1 and that the payload separated over Arkansas. However, the balloon did not burst and continued its journey toward the Atlantic, maintaining an altitude of 145,000 feet.

Winds at that height were blowing at 129 knots from the west-southwest, explaining its path. Clear skies and unlimited visibility aided observations from the ground and from military aircraft. Although initially thought to have fallen in Arkansas, it was later confirmed that the balloon continued flying. The combination of radar, theodolite, and multiple visual reports made this one of the most documented cases of the time, though it was ultimately resolved as a conventional aerial phenomenon.