NUFORC Sighting 94666

Occurred: 1974-04-23 21:00 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2012-11-20 12:41 Pacific
Duration: 5-7 seconds
No of observers: 2

Location: Houston, TX, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Left a trail

A satellite that behaved very unsatellitish

I was born and raised in Houston, Texas I am 57 and the first 7 years of my life we lived off the approach to Hobby airport and also Ellington was a very active Air Force base in those days. We moved to the north side of the city just about 5 to 6 miles south of what became Houston Intercontinental Airport now named Bush.

When I was about 18 or 19, I can’t remember the exact date but I believe the summer of 1973 or 74 a high school buddy and myself were out in the drive way at my next door neighbor looking up at the stars it was a clear night. It was about an hour or maybe two after sundown. We took note of a bright light about the size of a star. Noting that there were no strobes, we figure it to be a satellite. The house we were at is north of downtown Houston off US 59 at E. Mt Houston east about 2 miles from the 59. We at first thought it to be Skylab, but noting it was moving from the south heading north and the news media said Skylab would be in a east west travel we figured it a weather satellite. That worked for us up until it speeded up greatly. It then went into about 4 or 5 loops then back and forth through the loops it just made and straight up and disappeared into the blackness of space. Total time of sighting was about 5 to 7 seconds from first sighting until it left our sight. It streaked so fast there was the impression of a light trail. As it was doing its maneuvers it would go bright to dim giving me the impression of a shape like a coin flashing in the bright sun light. If it was a disk then at that altitude it had to be huge and it had to have travel hundreds of miles in a matter of seconds. That date was over 40 years ago but I can still see it, it shook my buddy and my self up. The first person we tried to tell was my Uncle who snickered at us. We both decided not to tell anyone. I have through my life but to a select few. I have included it in a book I wrote on the subject. I am by trade a Aircraft mechanic.

NUFORC Note:

Witness indicates that the date is approximate. PD

Posted 2012-12-20