Suspected Chinese spy balloon found over northern U.S.

The media has done a decent job putting pressure on the current admin to address the balloon and train situations. Transparency isn't terrible even when uncomfortable.

 

I've missed their coverage of the train explosion, and subsequent threats to health.

 

Woooooo more balloons!

 

40,000-50,000 feet would put it much lower than the other one, which makes me wonder if its actually the same thing or just another unrelated white balloon. That description very loosely conforms with the "spy balloon" but could just as easily be something completely different with no payload and a much smaller size.

I have to imagine white would be a pretty common color for a high altitude balloon.

 

This whole situation is weird.

Maybe I will feel differently as more is learned, but thus far I am fine with the questions from the media, the initial response from the military and then the ultimate decision to shoot it down by the administration.

As far as shooting it down, they waited for awhile to shoot it down so they do not come across as rash - and it still send sets boundaries with China.

The reality is that we really don't know how much the military did and does know....

 

slightly OT, but interesting discussion.

Spoiler

I want to believe

 

Noch einmal

[NBC News] U.S. military is tracking another mysterious balloon

 

Chinese Balloon Used American Tech to Spy on Americans

The Chinese spy balloon that floated over the U.S. early this year was loaded with American-made equipment that helped it collect photos, videos and other information, U.S. officials said, citing preliminary findings from a closely held investigation.​

Several defense and intelligence agencies, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have analyzed the debris retrieved after the U.S. military detected and shot down the balloon nearly five months ago in an event that added fresh, unexpected volatility to the already fraught U.S.-China relationship.

That analysis found the balloon was crammed with commercially available U.S. gear, some of it for sale online, and interspersed with more specialized Chinese sensors and other equipment to collect photos, video and other information to transmit to China, the officials said. Those findings, they said, support a conclusion that the craft was intended for spying, not weather monitoring as Beijing has said.

 

that happened in 1945,


in 1942, this happened

Long-range Japanese submarine I-25 shelled Fort Stevens in the Oregon coast.
Later that year it launched a seaplane that dropped bombs on the southern Oregon coast​

 

sir, this is a thread about balloons.

 

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...ign-used-a-propulsion-method-unlike-any-other
______

Imagine seeing this in the 80s.

 

Can it survive rifle fire from flyover country?

Heavy concentration of butthurt alien abductees in that neck of the woods...