The Air Force announces the end of Project Blue Book
On 17 December 1969 the US Air Force issued a press release in which Secretary of the Air Force Robert C. Seamans, Jr. announced the termination of Project Blue Book, its programme for investigating unidentified flying objects. In a memorandum to Chief of Staff General John D. Ryan, Seamans stated that continuing the project could not be justified on grounds of national security or science. The release said the decision rested on the University of Colorado study directed by Dr. Edward U. Condon, its review by the National Academy of Sciences, past UFO studies and two decades of Air Force experience. It stated that Blue Book records would be retired to the USAF Archives at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
1 document·5 points
- Seamans wrote that "the continuation of Project Blue Book cannot be justified either on the ground of national security or in the interest of science" (p. 1)
- The University of Colorado's 18-month contracted study, released in January 1969, concluded further extensive study of UFO sightings was not justified in the expectation that science would be advanced (p. 1)
- A National Academy of Sciences panel concluded that "the least likely explanation of UFOs is the hypothesis of extraterrestrial visitations by intelligent beings" (p. 2)
- Blue Book's stated conclusions: no UFO evaluated gave any indication of threat to national security, and no evidence showed "unidentified" sightings were technology beyond present knowledge or extraterrestrial vehicles (p. 2)
- Records were to go to the USAF Archives, Maxwell Air Force Base, with enquiries handled by the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of Information (SAFOI) (p. 2)
Documents
- Document Air Force press release on termination of Project Blue Book DoD FOIA Reading Room· 1969-12-17· 2 pp.
- Official archives.gov the source's own page