Alien Lore 53 - The Moon Dust File

James Klotz obtained the following document a couple years ago, under the Freedom Of Information Act. The document was declassified. Clearly, they weren't just thinking about moon dust!

CONFIDENTIAL 1452738


DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.


AFCIN-1A 25 Apri1 1961

INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION GUIDANCE LETTER NO. 4

SUBJECT: (U) MOON DUST Reporting

TO: All Air Force Collection Activities

1. PURPOSE - This letter provides instructions and guidance for reporting information in response to MOON DUST Alerts.

2. APPLICABILITY - This letter is applicable world-wide for initiative reporting.


3. REFERENCE - Priority Air Intelligence Requirement (PAIR-1F).


4. BACKGROUND - Based on estimates of the time and place of foreign earth satellite vehicle (ESV) atmospheric re-entries, Headquarters USAF (AFCIN) initiates MOON DUST Alerts. They are issued as far in advance as practicable (normally 10 days) and are automatically cancelled three (3) days after the re-entry prediction date stated in the alert message. It is necessary that the alerts be issued on a world-wide basis until such time as techniques are developed that will make possible the prediction of the precise time and place of impact.


5. INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDANCE - During the periods when MOON DUST Alert is in effect, it is important that interested personnel receive, as rapidly as possible, accurate sighting data on the final (estimated) orbits from as many different sources as possible. The following guidance may assist in reporting observations of space vehicle re-entry. The re-entry of a space vehicle can be seen over great distances, and even the qualified observer cannot estimate the distance from point of observation to the sighted object with any great degree of certainty. At these distances, the re-entry would appear to resemble a meteor travelling in a near horizontal or descending path and, as the distance decreased, would appear as a brilliant object or cluster of objects visible during daylight conditions. In addition, an audible rumbling sound like thunder, arid possibly sharp explosion-like sounds might be correlated with the sighting.


a. What to Report. (1) Position of observer. (2) Time of sighting in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to nearest minute. (3) Duration of sighting. (4) Azimuth and elevation of object when first sighted. (5) Azimuth and elevation of object when last sighted (6) Apparent size of object as compared to the size of a coin or other familiar item held at arm's length. (7) Color and description of object and changes, if any, during sighting. (8) Unusual or other than normal sounds heard during the sighting. (9) Weather conditions prevailing at time of sighting. (10) Any other data associated with the sighting.


b. Other Action to be Taken. In the event a decayed space object is suspected as having descended, the following actions are required:


(1) Verify location of reported object. (2) Ascertain identity as accurately as possible. (3) Make every effort to obtain object for U.S. if it appears to be a portion of Soviet space vehicle or other material deemed to be of air technical intelligence interest. (4) Arrange expeditious delivery of recovered object to Aerospace Technical Intelligence Center (AFCIN-4A), Wright-Patterson A.F.B., Ohio. (5) Obtain permission for U.S. examination of object in the event it cannot be recovered for U.S. retention.

c. Where to Send Reports - Reports in response to paragraph 5a. or b. above should cite the unclassified nickname MOON DUST and be addressed to the following: (1) Headquarters USAF (AFCIN) Washington 25, D.C. (for action) (2) ATIC (AFCIN-4A) Wright-Patterson A.F.B., Ohio (info) (3) Space Track R & D Activity Hanscom Field, Massachusetts (info) (4) NORAD Ent A.F.B., Colorado (info)


6. CLASSIFICATION ASPECTS


Because of the intelligence connotations of MOON DUST regarding retrieval and examination by ATIC of a descended Soviet space vehicle, the overall project is classified Confidential, and MOON DUST Alerts are normally on a Confidential basis because of the intelligence association with decay estimates. The basic decay estimates (identification of the- object and estimated date and hour of decay) are in themselves normally unclassified. Thus, decay estimates, as such, can be released to observers or observatories cooperating with U.S. collectors purely on the basis of international cooperation in the scientific aspects of space knowledge. Reports of sightings transmitted by U.S. personnel should be classified according to source or content in accordance with normal reporting and transmitting procedures, and in the case of reports on visual sightings, will normally be unclassified.


FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF:


/s/ Lowell E May
LOWELL E. MAY
Colonel, USAF
Directorate of Collection
ACS/Intelligence

CONFIDENTIAL