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Seems like the next step will be to figure out a way to bring these objects down with out destroying them. My understanding is that very few winged aircraft ar

Seems like the next step will be to figure out a way to bring these objects down with out destroying them. My understanding is that very few winged aircraft are able to operate at 60k feet. The ones that do fly super fast and are not able to deploy a gun, missile, or other package. I suspect this is why the military is shooting them down with missiles which can be deployed by an aircraft flying at lower altitude or an aircraft on a high arc. Perhaps a missile could be modified to deploy a weighted net like this https://netgun.com/netgun-info/ultranet-hd-large-animal-target-net-gun https://netgun.com/netgun-info/ultranet-hd-large-animal-targ... to bring these balloons down to a more convenient altitude where a non-destructive forced landing can be organized? Perhaps this is a project for #Steve Jurvetson?

bhouston 4y ago
yeah, they need to be able to capture these with some type of net or harpoon. Maybe a combination of a net around the base and then some type of dart to take out the balloon. That said, the debris is just hitting, probably slowed by the remaining balloon fabric, and thus likely quite recoverable. It shouldn't be burned out or exploded I suspect if they are targeting the balloon rather than the instruments?
- unsupp0rted 4y ago
  Even with a net or harpoon, how do they bring these "city-bus size" things down safely and intact from 60,000 feet when they weigh so much?
  - bhouston 4y ago
    I think the "city sized bus" includes the balloon? Or is that just the payload? If it is just the payload, I guess you need to board it and either hijack it, or attach a parachute to it? Then I guess the adversary will start to add self-destruct mechanisms to them or some other type of arms race will occur.
    - unsupp0rted 4y ago
      Unlikely to board something at 60,000 feet. I guess you'd have to harpoon it down to a reasonable altitude first, then board it. But does anybody have the capability to harpoon something at 60,000 feet? Hitting it with a missile is much simpler.

bhouston 4y ago

yeah, they need to be able to capture these with some type of net or harpoon. Maybe a combination of a net around the base and then some type of dart to take out the balloon. That said, the debris is just hitting, probably slowed by the remaining balloon fabric, and thus likely quite recoverable. It shouldn't be burned out or exploded I suspect if they are targeting the balloon rather than the instruments?

unsupp0rted 4y ago
Even with a net or harpoon, how do they bring these "city-bus size" things down safely and intact from 60,000 feet when they weigh so much?
- bhouston 4y ago
  I think the "city sized bus" includes the balloon? Or is that just the payload? If it is just the payload, I guess you need to board it and either hijack it, or attach a parachute to it? Then I guess the adversary will start to add self-destruct mechanisms to them or some other type of arms race will occur.
  - unsupp0rted 4y ago
    Unlikely to board something at 60,000 feet. I guess you'd have to harpoon it down to a reasonable altitude first, then board it. But does anybody have the capability to harpoon something at 60,000 feet? Hitting it with a missile is much simpler.