Re-entry of Cosmos 749 observed from Chevreuse, 1980

Summary

In December 1980 three witnesses in Chevreuse described a fast-moving, luminous object on a clear trajectory. Only two were interviewed, but their testimony was deemed sincere. Years later GEIPAN re-examined the case with updated tools and concluded the description matched the characteristics of an artificial atmospheric re-entry.

The phenomenon fitted the mass observation of the Cosmos 749 spacecraft re-entry, recorded at the same time and in the same direction. What the witnesses saw was not questioned — only their interpretation of the event. GEIPAN classified the case as A, attributing it to the Cosmos 749 re-entry.