Chinese "Spy Balloon" over CONUS.

a reply to: TheRedneck

Romania?

Well another weather balloon

www.cnn.com...

5 min ago
Another Chinese spy balloon is transiting Latin America, Pentagon says
From CNN's Natasha Bertrand

The Pentagon said Friday evening that another Chinese spy balloon is currently transiting Latin America.

“We are seeing reports of a balloon transiting Latin America. We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a statement to CNN.
It is unclear exactly where the balloon is over Latin America – but a US official tells CNN it does not appear to be currently heading to the United States.

a reply to: AdmireTheDistance

If there's a second or third balloon, the story of this being a rogue balloon caught in the jet stream falls apart instantly.

Especially considering the jet stream doesn't go as far south as Latin America.

This story just got super crazy, if real. I highly doubt these reports are real but I guess we'll see!

originally posted by: beyondknowledge
Fox just announced something just exploded in the sky above Billings, Montana. Looking for updates.

Links ??

originally posted by: putnam6

originally posted by: beyondknowledge
Fox just announced something just exploded in the sky above Billings, Montana. Looking for updates.

Links ??

twitter.com...

originally posted by: JinMI

originally posted by: putnam6

originally posted by: beyondknowledge
Fox just announced something just exploded in the sky above Billings, Montana. Looking for updates.

Links ??

twitter.com...

www.dailymail.co.uk... sion-sky-Billings-Montana-Chinese-balloon-spotted-U-S-airspace.html

Explosion in the sky' seen above Billings Montana where Chinese balloon was spotted in U.S. airspace - resident witnesses jet zoom by after officials said they wouldn't shoot down balloon because it was over a 'number of sensitive sites'

originally posted by: beyondknowledge
The video from Billings, Montana looks more like a rising missile track than something falling after an explosion.

Still looking for links.

I screenshotted it on Fox News but I don't know how to upload it.

originally posted by: TheRedneck
a reply to: Fairtrade141


The balloon has a "box" (the payload) below it, likely containing surveillance and control electronics. Since it is maneuverable, it likely has some sort of thrusters to correct trajectory. All that requires energy, and that energy is provided by an integral battery bank that is charged via the solar panels you are seeing protruding from the payload.


TheRedneck

From personal experience on a team that designed, built, and flew balloons, rockoons (balloon-launched rockets), dirigibles, and airships, what is being shown is a balloon. With a solar cell array attached, likely to provide power to on board systems.

Also, from experience, solitary balloons are not what anyone would call "maneuverable", certainly not by any propulsion package mounted below the balloon at its widest diameter, its "equator" so to speak.

Below that point you get a sort of "pendulum effect" where, rather than a change in vector, the vehicle begins rotate around its own vertical axis.

Two or more balloons, mounted in tandem to a keel-like structure can be made to maneuver, if propulsion is the mounted to the keel.

It is clear from the published photos that these considerations have not been addressed; therefore I believe it is not likely that this is the Chinese spy balloon we are looking for.

And "thrusters" in the sense that one might expect on a spacecraft, are a very inefficient means of moving something with the high aerodynamic drag coefficient of a typical, round ballloon.

This is crazy

a reply to: asabuvsobelow

It's not as if we haven't had these little spy and test actions of our own...

This doesn't bruise our ego, we have carrier groups already in their theater.

/f#ck around and find out

originally posted by: JinMI

originally posted by: putnam6

originally posted by: beyondknowledge
Fox just announced something just exploded in the sky above Billings, Montana. Looking for updates.

Links ??

twitter.com...

I watched it not sure that's proof where was the sound?

a reply to: putnam6

Again I saw a few videos on tik Tok claiming they ad one near Hawaii and another 1 near Guam

'Explosion in the sky' seen above Billins Montana where Chinese balloon was spotted in US airspace...

Resident witnesses in Billings, Montana, reported an 'explosion in the sky' after US officials warned of a Chinese spy balloon flying over the region.

Bizarre video of the aftermath shows a trail of smoke in the sky where the balloon was last spotted.

Interesting.

Video on Twit.

a reply to: putnam6

I cant verify the veracity.


Its making rounds on tweeeters

a reply to: Oldcarpy2

They look like solar panels which are a part of this object.

a reply to: JinMI

If you were in Billings, Montana. Is this what it would look like if one of the minuteman missiles was launched? The video seems to be looking east (the sun).

originally posted by: InachMarbank
a reply to: TheRedneck

Romania?

He's been leaving cryptic posts about Romania for months.

I'm not sure what to make of them.

a reply to: litterbaux

Montana is central timezone?

So it would be 2-3 hours old.

a reply to: JinMI

Thanks, that is the one.

It would not load from my source. Probably too much traffic at the moment.

a reply to: JinMI

I meant the camera is looking west, but yes it would have to be a few hours old as the sun set a few hours ago in CST.