Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (the Condon Report, complete, three volumes)

might provide sam,; "additions to scientific knowledge."
After con~ideTing varinus pos~ibilities, the AFOSR staff decided
to ask the University of Colorado to undertake the project (see Preface).
Dr J. Thomas Ratchford visited Boulder in late July 1966 to learn
whe~her the University would be willing tu undertake the task. A second
meeting was held on 10 August 1966 in which the scope of the proposed
study was outlined to an interested group of the administrative staff
and factllty of the University by Dr. Ratchford and Dr. William Price,
executive director of /\FOSR. After due deliberation, University
officials decided to undertake the project.
The contract provided that the planning, dIrection and conclusions
oE the Colorado project were to be conducted wholly independently of the
l\ir Force. To avoid duplication of effort, the Air Force was ordered
to furnish the project with the records of its own earlier work and to
prov~de the support of personnel at AF bases when requested by (JUT
fleld teams.
We were ass~red that the federal government would withhold no
information on the subject, and that ull essential information about
UFOs could he included in this report. Where lJH) sightings j.l\volve
classifjed missile launchings or involve the use of classified radar
systems, tIlls fact is merely stated a~ to do more would involve viola-
tion of security OJ ~h('se 'l1i.1itary 5ub.i~cts. In our actual expet'iencc
these rescrvunon5 nave affected a Hegl gihle fraction of the total
material and ~Hlve n,)t J thp conclusions (Section!) which we
draw from our work.
The fj 1'5t research contI'<lCC with Al OSH pr()vIJ~'d $31.3,000 for
the first 15 mOl1ths from 1 November 1~66 '0 31 ,J:l1luury Ill(,8. 1hz
(,,~ontrac,t Ivas publicir aIlIlOUJ1CeU 011 7 ()ctlJh~r 1!)(,f,. It then becaille our
ta~k to invt,~tigatc thoSl' curious entities listinguished by lack of
knowledge of what they arc. rather than in t~rms of what they are known
to be, namely, unidl'nttficll flying objects.
might provide son)(~ "ildditions to scientific knowledge."
lIfter con'3ide1'ing VClril)US pos.,ibilities, the AFOSR staff decided
to ask the University of Colorado to undertake the project (see Preface).
Dr J. Thomas Ratchford visited Boulder in late July 1966 to learn
whe:hec the University would be willing tu undertake the task. A second
meeting was held on 10 August 1966 in which the scope of the proposed
study was outlin",d tl' an inten:sted group of the administrative staff
and factllty of the University by Dr. Ratchford and Dr. William Price,
executive director of ,"FOSE. After due deliheration, University
officials decided to undertake the project.
The cont1'11ct provided that t.he planning, dIrection and conclusions
of the Colorado project were to be conducted wholly independently of the
Air Force. To avold duplit:atioJl of effort, the Air Force was ordered
to furnish the projoct with the records of its own earlier work und to
prov~rJe the support of personnel at Al; bases when requested hy (jUT
fleld teal'lS.
We wc~c ass~red that the federol goveJ~mcnt would withhold no
information on the subject, and that al] essential information about
UFOs cOllld he incl\lderl in this report. Where UFO sightings involve
classifj~d missile lnunchings or involve the use of classified radar
s),stems, tLis fact' i,s merely stated a:; to do more would involve vic,J~
ti.on of SGcuri ty OJ 'these ~1l,1 i tary sUb.i ~cts. In our actual experien<:e
these rescrvarlons ~avc affected n negl gihle fraction of the total
malarial and !lave n.)t affC'ctc'J tlw cnnclllsi()n~ (Section }) which w~~
draw fTom our work.
The fi 1'51 research c:ontrac{ wi th 1\1 OSI{ provj<.L~d $.ll."OOO for
the fir!;t 15 mOllth~ fcom 1 November 1~6() '0 31 ,J:JIluury llJh8. Ih~
~~(lntrac.t \,ilS publicI:' announced 011 7 Octlllnf 1!H.l6. It thcn becall1e nUl'
ti\~k to inVl'stigatc thl.1st' curious l'ntiti('~ lic;tinguisheo hy lack of
kno\oilcJge of what they ar(~, rather than in t,;rms of wllut they art' known
to be, nam€'ly, uniJt'nt [fiell flying objects.