The Roswell Report: Fact vs. Fiction in the New Mexico Desert

## I. INTRODUCTION

## A. Contract Requirements

On November 1, 1946 the Research Division of the College of Engineering of New York University entered into Contract W28-099-ac-241 with Watson Laboratories of the Air Materiel Command. Under this contract the University was commissioned to design, develop and fly constant-level balloons to carry instruments to altitudes from 10 to 20 kilometers, adjustable at 2-kilometer intervals.

The following performance was specified:

1. Altitude to be maintained within 500 meters.

2. Duration of constant level flight to be initially 6 to 8 hours minimum, eventually 48 hours.

3. The accuracy of pressure observation to be comparable to that obtainable with the standard Army radiosonde (3-5 mb).

In addition to this balloon performance it was desired that:

4. A balloon-borne transmitter be developed for telemetering of information from the balloon to suitable ground receivers.

5. Positioning of balloon during flight be determined by ground tracking such as radar or radio direction-finding or theodolite.

6. Appropriate meteorological data be collected and interpreted.

Following the first year of work the contract was renewed for a 1-year period, and in addition to the provisions of the original contract it was agreed that a total of 100 test flights would be launched by the University.

In September, 1948 a second renewal of the contract was effected. With this renewal, which expires in March, 1949, it is expected that the development of equipment will be concluded. Further extensions are under consideration whereby New York University will supply standardized flight gear and flight service personnel for routine test flights.