When you hit it with a missile the debris and any payload would be disintegrated. Why do you think when we Blast underground we empty the mine before we actually detonate!! The Concussion is severe because of being underground. Do that kind or ANY Kind of explosion in the atmosphere that high up and the Concussion probably would not even trigger the seismic stations scattered over Earth. The Debris that President F M UP is LYING about does not make any sense either. He could have BLOWN IT UP over the Elution Islands or off the Coast of ALASKA but instead let China steer it over our Nuke Silos and across America before doing anything!!!

you ever seen a weather vane? you can not steer a balloon without an engine of some sort, a sailboat steers with resistance of the water. with "little sails" a balloon will just turn on its axis like a weather vane.

https://www.dailynews.com/2023/02/04/us-downs-chinese-balloon-drawing-a-threat-from-china-2/

I read this morning that this was not the first balloon. That an earlier President opted not to shoot.

They should have shot this one down way sooner. And, any prior balloon should have been shot down too.

Danny
Your never going to make some these guy understand about steering that balloon. They think it's the simple physics of kids party balloon.
Everyone got all the math and military answers on the shoot down figured too. When the cops and military have sensor that can tell where a shot was fired in city. How does anyone not think they are going to not know within few feet where parts fall.
I'm concerned no one got excited about it going over Iowa.. lol or did it.
No win situation for politicians.
Shoot it down right away over reacting don't shoot down under react. Using a turkey load to shoot a squirrel. Military is all idiots..

When I was out took drive by the Amish yesterday. The were riding their buggies down road. Hauling ice on big sleds. Spreading manure in field with team of horses. I couldn't believe they was being so stupid. Big old balloon about to kill everyone. They wasn't even looking up at the sky and hurrying to get their work done. All fools I guess.

Mac

If the report that it was over St. Louis after going over Billings is true, it must have flown right over Offutt Air Base in Bellevue where Stratcom (strategic air command) is located. But don’t worry bout that.

20 years ago, today

my whole point was that once again we are being fed misleading information. no propellers in any of those pictures. so either they just put it in the jet stream knowing it would drift over the u.s. or those photos are photo shopped. we are definitely not getting the paul harvey version of the story. (the rest of the story) why is that? the chinese know why it was here. so who is our government keeping information from?

The Kanadistan air farce did not see it I was sold as they have their trackingradars and such switched off other than providing air traffic control for Santas sleigh at Christmas. Something about keeping a neutral carbon foot print or sum such thing.

Hey it could have carried coVIId.
just
note VII

Just thought I'd add to the wild unfounded theories so common on here.

Most cell phones don't get a good picture at 60,000 feet, no mater how much you blow it up. I have yet to see what I would call a good picture of the balloon.

Keith

Be a bugger when the weather network can't predict the weather anymore, and has to send up another balloon

Looks like Sniffy finally got the OK from China to take action after it cleared the Nation and they got what they were looking for how long would our balloons last over China. LOL I don’t buy that BS that they could not take it down safely when it was over the open western states just not realistic maybe the don’t want to recover the data by letting it fall in the ocean.

Just more of the ongoing dog and pony show.

If you are serious about recovering data and such, ya pop a couple of holes in the balloon with the gun of the plane and let it sink down slowly as the gas escapes, NOT blow it to smithereens with a sidewinder

I hear this chink balloon above us has happened before...

That’s what I am hearing as well. All over the place. Sounds like it has been occurring for many years. I’m interested to see how it plays out.

My question would be why use a missile instead of guns? Guns cheaper less damage to balloon and anything it was carrying and would of still brought it down and more or less in 1 piece. But that is an enlisted speaking not an officer that asked his SgrMjr, Chief, First Shirt how to tie their shoes

a missile can have an explosive charge. penetrate the balloon then burst it. no waiting for the gas to leak out

the payload fell in shallow water. about 50 feet. navy divers have likely gathered it up already

That would take it out of US waters. Complicate recovery. If it was just the balloon that was struck the electronics might still be in tact.
just