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The video of the shoot-down shows flashes from the detached-and-falling payload, probably explosive self-destruct devices detonating. (It'd be shocking if the
by dctoedt 4y ago
The video of the shoot-down shows flashes from the detached-and-falling payload, probably explosive self-destruct devices detonating.
(It'd be shocking if the Chinese didn't include a self-destruct capability.)
- boomboomsubban 4y agoIsn't it a hydrogen balloon? Wouldn't some level of explosion be expected?
- mlindner 4y agoNo. This type of balloon uses helium.
- sebzim4500 4y agoYou'll probably still get some information from the wreckage even if a self destruct activated.
- chii 4y agoThen it's not a very good self-destruct!
- KennyBlanken 4y agoIt's pretty clearly pieces of solar panel tumbling and catching sunlight as they fall. China would not risk of flying explosives over the continental US given the US was "balloon bombed" by Japan during WW2. If the thing crashed in some farmer's field and then blew up when he went to poke it with a stick, it wouldn't start WW3, but would result in huge domestic political pressure to "do something". Even just video of the thing blowing up mid-air would be horrendous optics. "They were flying something really dangerous over us!"