Cheyenne Mountain Fastwalker: Unknown Penetrates US Space Surveillance
Near the middle of December 1986, at the U.S. Space Command's Surveillance Center inside Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, Commander Sheila Mondran detects something tripping the U.S. Naval Space Surveillance System ('The Fence') — a man-made energy field reaching nearly 15,000 miles into space that can determine the speed and size of any object in its range. The intrusion occurs in the skies above Lake Kickapoo, Texas. The object fits no known category, performing seemingly impossible maneuvers including loops, backtracks, crash dives, and astonishingly fast climbs. Mondran sends a Flash Alert to CINC-NORAD, reserved for potentially dangerous situations that reach the President's desk. A summary is sent to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Reagan for his daily briefing. Reagan, without a trace of humor, reveals he once saw a UFO as Governor of California and recommends a follow-up investigation.
Background
EVENT TITLE: Cheyenne Mountain Fastwalker: Unknown Penetrates US Space Surveillance
EVENT DATE: 1986-12-15
EVENT TYPE: military_encounter
1. Near the middle of December 1986, personnel at the U.S. Space Command's Surveillance Center inside Cheyenne Mountain detected an anomaly. This event involved the U.S. Naval Space Surveillance System and subsequent observations by NORAD personnel.
The Incident
A group of men, employed at NORAD's Cheyenne Mountain installation, were on leave but still on call. Late one night, near midnight, one of the men spotted what he thought was a shooting star. Over the next fifteen minutes, two more lights were observed.
The lights moved independently before aligning and moving directly toward Cheyenne Mountain. Shortly after, alert buzzers sounded at the base. The men returned to their posts, arriving at the gate at 2:10 a.m. still in their hunting gear, and took up their security positions as the base remained on alert until 6 a.m. One of the men, on radar duty, claimed to have tracked UFOs for approximately 20 minutes. A significant number of jet interceptors were reportedly scrambled. Commander Sheila Mondran also detected something tripping the U.S. Naval Space Surveillance System ('The Fence') — a man-made energy field reaching nearly 15,000 miles into space.
Investigation
The men attempted to find records of the security alert but found nothing filed, or that the key material had been removed. Air Force investigators, described as the Air Force “UFO people,” subsequently interviewed the group individually. The radar operator was instructed to file a report with them.
The investigators told the group that the lights they had seen were aircraft landing lights. They were instructed to ignore the incident, continue their duties, and not discuss it further. Within two months, each man received a written reprimand for drinking on duty, which they denied.
Significance
This event is significant because it involves multiple witnesses, including military personnel at a sensitive location. The alleged scrambling of jet interceptors and the subsequent lack of official documentation raise questions about the handling of UFO encounters by the military. The conflicting explanations and the reprimands issued to the witnesses suggest a potential cover-up or an attempt to downplay the event's significance. The event also highlights the potential for UAP to interact with and be detected by sophisticated surveillance systems like the U.S. Naval Space Surveillance System.