4 ms·

It's clearly not a Chinese spy balloon. China has spy sattelites that can do what this balloon supposedly can, and that's why the US isn't shooting it down. Wh

It's clearly not a Chinese spy balloon. China has spy sattelites that can do what this balloon supposedly can, and that's why the US isn't shooting it down. What a load of crap. 1) the US would shoot it down anyway 2) why would China send a balloon when they have sattelites? The conclusion drawn must be that it's either not Chinese, or not a spy balloon, or most probably not either.

implements 4y ago
> China has spy satellites that can do what this balloon supposedly can, Satellites have predictable orbits and are otherwise tracked, but a stealthy balloon might go unnoticed and manage to surveil sites that don’t mask their sensitive activities when they think the sky is currently clear. It’s possible that the ballon is performing signals intelligence gathering, or something else satellites at altitude can’t do. Also, the perception (true or otherwise) that the US is not fully able to control its national airspace is something China can make propaganda out of.
- MichaelZuo 4y ago
  Even the smallest high atmosphere balloon is gigantic. There's simply no way one could ever be hidden from radar. So 'stealthy balloons' do not exist.
  - implements 4y ago
    That’s a bit emphatic, surely? If you can make a B2 bomber stealthy then perhaps you can do the same with a balloon - the bags are thin polythene [1] and I assume you could combine geometry and radar absorbing material to make a payload disappear. If it were that obviously visible why wasn’t it intercepted when it crossed into America’s air defence identification zone? [1] https://www.nasa.gov/scientific-balloons/types-of-balloons https://www.nasa.gov/scientific-balloons/types-of-balloons
    - Oxidation 4y ago
      It's very clearly not stealthy, it's got solar panels hanging from it. I'm sure you could make a stealthy box, but this is not that.
    - MichaelZuo 4y ago
      If you don't know what your talking about it's usually more polite to admit it, instead of trying to double down.
consumer451 4y ago
That's one heck of a weather balloon. https://archive.ph/DJgKa https://archive.ph/DJgKa
Thorrez 4y ago
The US is working on their own spy balloon.[1] Why wouldn't China? [1] https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/05/u-s-militarys-newest-weapon-against-china-and-russia-hot-air-00043860 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/05/u-s-militarys-newes...

implements 4y ago

> China has spy satellites that can do what this balloon supposedly can, Satellites have predictable orbits and are otherwise tracked, but a stealthy balloon might go unnoticed and manage to surveil sites that don’t mask their sensitive activities when they think the sky is currently clear. It’s possible that the ballon is performing signals intelligence gathering, or something else satellites at altitude can’t do. Also, the perception (true or otherwise) that the US is not fully able to control its national airspace is something China can make propaganda out of.

MichaelZuo 4y ago
Even the smallest high atmosphere balloon is gigantic. There's simply no way one could ever be hidden from radar. So 'stealthy balloons' do not exist.
- implements 4y ago
  That’s a bit emphatic, surely? If you can make a B2 bomber stealthy then perhaps you can do the same with a balloon - the bags are thin polythene [1] and I assume you could combine geometry and radar absorbing material to make a payload disappear. If it were that obviously visible why wasn’t it intercepted when it crossed into America’s air defence identification zone? [1] https://www.nasa.gov/scientific-balloons/types-of-balloons https://www.nasa.gov/scientific-balloons/types-of-balloons
  - Oxidation 4y ago
    It's very clearly not stealthy, it's got solar panels hanging from it. I'm sure you could make a stealthy box, but this is not that.
  - MichaelZuo 4y ago
    If you don't know what your talking about it's usually more polite to admit it, instead of trying to double down.

consumer451 4y ago

That's one heck of a weather balloon. https://archive.ph/DJgKa https://archive.ph/DJgKa

Thorrez 4y ago

The US is working on their own spy balloon.[1] Why wouldn't China? [1] https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/05/u-s-militarys-newest-weapon-against-china-and-russia-hot-air-00043860 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/05/u-s-militarys-newes...