Project Mogul

In 1995, the US Government released a report describing a previously classified program known as Project Mogul. This program was devised by Maurice Ewing, the same person who had predicted and discovered the oceanic sound channel. Ewing believed that a similar channel existed in the atmosphere, near the tropopause. The US constructed an elaborate and difficult balloon project to exploit this channel for the detection and measurement of Russian atmospheric nuclear tests. The project was successful, except for one crashed balloon system that led to the report of a Flying Saucer.

Documents available for you to read are:

• New York Times article published after the US Government report was released
• Popular Science article published in June 1997, describing the Government report. html or pdf versions are available.
• Popular Science follow-up article, September 1997. pdf version only.
• Official US Government report (synopsis only) on Project Mogul
• Official US Government report on the Roswell Incident

Of these articles, you should read at least the New York Times article. The Popular Science articles give interesting background. The Official US Government report gives details that some of you might find interesting.