Donald Keyhoe in True Magazine

The swift acceleration of saucers, confirmed by radar and visual reports, far exceeds the acceleration of man-made rockets and guided missiles. In addition no earthly craft can reverse from high speed or make the violent turns proved by radar tracks.
Some flying-saucer skeptics claim that no solid object, not even a revolutionary, space ship, could maneuver as report since it would be subject to the Earth's laws of gravity, momentum and inertia.

But there is one practical answer. BY applying the propulsion force in the opposite direction, abruptly reversing its thrust, an object might be halted in a few seconds. On an M.E.W. radarscope or as seen visually, it would appear to have stopped almost instantly. After this full-power stop, a 90-degree turn could then be achieved by again changing the thrust.

A G-sled used by the Air Force gives a hint of the possibilities. This device, driven by rockets down a long track, attains high speed in a few seconds. Near the end of the track, it is abruptly halted by a powerful braking system. For an instant, the force acting on an occupant is many times the effect of gravity. Tests have proved that human pilots, for fraction of a second, can take over 45 G's and live.

Perhaps humanlike beings could withstand the G forces of saucer maneuvers if applied for only a moment. It may be however, that the objects are remotely controlled from higher up to avoid repeated exposure to such stresses. In any event, the maneuvers themselves are explainable by reversing or shifting the thrust of some radically new type of propulsion.

The increasing evidence from the radar-and-light reports cannot be denied. It is my opinion, as previously stated in TRUE, that the saucers are devices from outer space, exploring the Earth just our government expects some day to explore other planets.

Though most authorities believe that life, as we know it, is not possible Mars or Venus, they do not exclude the possibility that different forms of life may have developed there. From the neighboring planets, the time required to reach the earth would be relatively short, with the velocities now considered attainable.

If the saucers are not from planets of our solar system, then the problem of the vast distances from other stars' planets may seem insurmountable. But Einstein's theory of special relativity offers a solution now accepted by space-travel pioneers in this country and abroad. Because of the relative nature of time and space the elapsed time for a round trip to a distant point will be less for the traveller than the elapsed time recorded on Earth when that journey is ended. However, the occupants of the space craft will be unaware of any difference during their trip; to them, the daily passage of time, as shown by their clocks, will seem normal. This difference, or "time-dilatation factor" as it is called, will increase as a space ship's speed approximates the velocity of light.

Fantastic though it seems, time dilatation has been proved mathematically. In a recent Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Dr. L. R. Shepherd gives figures for a specific interstellar voyage. He assumes that a traveler. X, makes a round trip to the star Procyn, 10.4 light years away, while an observer. Y, remains on Earth to record the elapsed time here. He also assumes that, because of the long trip at maximum speed, periods of acceleration and retardation are negligible.

"Suppose X goes to Procyn and back," say: Dr. Shepherd, "with a velocity of 0.99c [c equals the velocity of light]. While Y records X's return twenty-one years later, X is aware only of a passage of three years. . . . The only shortcoming would be . . . that friends whom he left in the bloom of their youth would he found in their dotage."'

This latter effect, however unfortunate, does not alter the basic fact: time dilatation can greatly shorten interstellar jnurneys. Nor would trips of several years daunt human spate explorers any more than long sea voyages daunted Columbus, Magellan and others who left home for extended periods to explore the globe.

To reach velocities close to that of light would, this scientist points out require a source of energy more powerful than any known today-the wholesale conversion of mass into energy.

The problem is staggering-but so were the problems of splitting the atom. Races on other planets, with civilizations perhaps thousands of year: ahead of ours could have found the answer and conquered space long ago.

Some Air Force officers still insist the saucers do not exist. But regardless of
such personal beliefs, the "saucer" investigation will go on. The growing body of data, it is hoped, may permit some conclusions to be drawn. So far, statistics aren't particularly helpful. A preliminary A.T.I.C. analysis of fifty radar reports taken at random from the files show incidents from land and sea, and speeds between zero and 4,500 m.p.h., 80% came from surface-land or ship-based- radar installations, 20% from air-borne sets, and 35% were confirmed visually. Daytime produced 35% of the incidents, night 65%. In 60% of the cases, a single object was reported; in 40%, multiple objects. They flew straight paths more often than they maneuvered.
The latest plans of the A.T.I.C. attest to its serious attitude. One hundred special two-lens cameras which can take simultaneous straight and spectroscopic photos, through which the saucers' light source may be analyzed, have been sent to strategic points-air bases, A-bomb plaints and other spots where the mysterious visitors have frequently been seen. The reports of airline pilots and other trained observers are to be studied more carefully than ever before. Even apparent hoaxes will be investigated.
The Air Force is admittedly touchy on one point-the question of interceptors trying to down the "saucers." General Ramey, reiterating his previous statement, emphasized:

"No orders have been issued to the Air Defense Command or by the Air Defense Command to its fighter units to fire on unidentified aerial phenomena."
Unless an object attacks our planes, or is obviously a threat to this country, the decision is left up to pilots.

In talking with Major Norman, the Air Force radar expert, I learned he had been an interceptor pilot and had once chased a strange light.

"On an interception like that," I said, "exactly what steps would you lake?"
"First, you prepare for combat," he said. "That means your guns are ready in case you're fired on. Then I'd ease in close, if I could, for a try with my camera-guns. But I'd be very cautious, I'll tell you that."

"Suppose you got close," I said, "and saw some strange device. Would you signal for it to land-maybe fire a burst off to one side?"

He looked at me grimly. "Unless it attacked me, I wouldn't cut loose my guns-it might he suicide."

"Even if they weren't hostile," another officer told me, "barging in too close might scare them into attacking."

There is no doubt that many interceptor pilots remember Captain Mantell, who met his death while chasing a. saucer near Godman Field, Kentucky.
Though he was said to have blacked out from lack of oxygen, there is still a lingering doubt among fliers.

Trying to communicate with the saucers would seem the nest logical .step. So far, the Air Force informed me, it has made no such attempt. When I suggested the idea to Controller Harry Barnes, he looked surprised.

"I was so intent on tracking them, I never thought of trying the radio. Alter all, what would you say?"

"How about this; 'You, out there three miles north of the airport; if you read me, make a right turn.'"

"If it did turn, my hair would probably stand on end." Harries thought for a moment. "Maybe I'll try it. at that, if it ever happens again."

From all the hundreds of saucer reports, one fact stands out-there is no cause for fear. For years, these unknown visitors have been operating peacefully in our atmosphere. (I do not believe Mantell's plane was destroyed as a hostile act.) There has been plenty of time, if hostility were intended, for the intelligence back of the saucers to strike at our planes and our cities.

It is evident that exploration, and eventually contact, are the purposes behind the saucers' repeated visits. When that contact comes, it should be no cause for panic. -Meeting intelligent beings who know the secrets of space should be of profound benefit to everyone on Earth.

It could be the greatest adventure of all time.-Donald E. Keyhoe

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