The Roswell Report: Case Closed

Fig. 10. Maj. David G.
Simons (MC) (left), balloon
designer Otto C. Winzen
(center) and Capt. Joseph
W. Kittinger, Jr., examine a
scale model of a low altitude
balloon gondola used to train
pilots for high altitude missions.
(photo courtesy of Mike Smith,
Raven Industries)
2.3
High Altitude Research Projects
By 1960, hundreds of high altitude research balloons, some that
carried anthropomorphic dummies, descended and were recovered in areas
surrounding Walker AFB and Roswell. But based on the descriptions of the
bodies and the involvement of a hospital and medical personnel, it did not
seem likely that high altitude research balloons with scientific instruments
or anthropomorphic dummies could possibly account for this testimony.
Therefore, the focal point of the research shifted to manned high altitude
balloon flights conducted by the Air Force during the mid to late 1950s and
early 1960s.
Manned Balloon Flights
Two manned balloon projects, MAN HIGH and ExcELSIOR, were
conducted within the time period targeted for research: MAN HIGH from 1957
to 1958 163 and the manned portion of ExcELSIOR in 1959 and 1960. The only
other manned high altitude balloon project in Air Force history, STARGAZER,
did not fly until 1962.
It was discovered that only six manned flights were made for MAN
HIGH and ExcELSIOR. These flights were determined unlikely as the source of
the testimony since there were no injuries or deaths, all six flights had been
the subject of intense media coverage, and none were flown in the vicinity
of Roswell. Despite the apparent dead end these flights presented to explain
this account, records were obtained and persons involved in MAN HIGH and
ExcELSIOR were contacted and interviewed. These records and interviews
confirmed that there were, in fact, only six USAF manned high altitude
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