On Feb. 4, a Air Force F-22 took down a balloon of the coast of South Carolina. That balloon has since been identified as a Chinese surveillance balloon. Based on leaked descriptions, it seemed to be carrying not an array of high-resolution cameras, but gear more related to listening in on electronic communications. A week later, another “aerial object” was shot down near Alaska, a second was taken down by a jet operating for NORAD over northern Canada, and a third was shot down over Lake Huron.
None of the objects appear to have had active propulsion. All of them were relatively small. None of them was believed to be crewed. The military has signaled its belief that the objects were “benign” and that they likely represent commercial or research balloons. The only reason they were targeted appears to be increased vigilance following the downing of the Chinese balloon.
However, there has been a continuing furor—particularly from Republican politicians and right-wing media—that has painted these objects as if they are both the leading edge of some kind of potential invasion, and a signal of some sort of “weakness” in the administration. Even Democratic politicians have asked for more transparency concerning the nature of these objects and why they are being blasted out of the sky.
At 2 PM ET, President Biden will address the topic live. We’ll cover what he has to say.
UPDATE: Thursday, Feb 16, 2023 · 7:17:43 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
U.S will adopt new policies to deal with “largely unregulated space.” Biden signals a series of new moves to more closely regulate airspace.
Biden reiterates that military advised against shooting down Chinese balloon over ground because it was large. Shooting it down over water protected civilians and made it easier to retrieve components intact.
UPDATE: Thursday, Feb 16, 2023 · 7:15:04 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner
“We don’t know what these objects were” but nothing about them suggests connection to Chinese balloon. Biden indicates that they were like commercial, scientific, or recreational balloons.
U.S. found them only because radar is now tuned to be more sensitive to balloons following transit of Chinese balloon.
Most small weather balloons don’t last long for a single reason: They’re purposely filled with enough helium to take them to such an altitude that the latex skin of the balloon becomes overextended and bursts. This allows the instruments held beneath the balloon to parachute down and be recovered. Most large balloons, especially those not designed to reach extreme altitude, have a built-in mechanism for intentionally popping the balloon or releasing gas to bring it back to the ground.
When a balloon doesn’t get enough helium to reach “burst altitude,” or the mechanism for intentionally popping the balloon fails, it can drift around for days or weeks, becoming what’s been referred to as “sky trash.” There are reasons to believe that some, if not all, of the objects taken down in the last two weeks fit into that category.
For the most part, these objects are harmless. They eventually lose enough gas (violently or slowly) to return to earth, and they should have radar reflectors that make them visible to commercial aviation. From the reports that have come out so far, the sudden run of objects taken down appears to be more an expression of heightened concern than increased threat.
But we’ll hear it from the president shortly.