If they wanted it to be difficult to spot why have it white? Surely a darker colour would make it more inconspicuous.
Chinese spy balloon over US
- Thread starter foxhole
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Dark colours absorb the sun's heat which warms up the helium which then expands. This screws up the mechanism that controls the altitude of the balloon
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Weather ballon, or spy equipment, or both ?
Why did China deny it at 1st ?
Why did China deny it at 1st ?
A second Chinese spy balloon was reportedly flying over Latin America, according to the Pentagon, in comments that came as the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, postponed a visit to China after the intrusion of a separate high-altitude Chinese balloon into US airspace.
“We are seeing reports of a balloon transiting Latin America,” Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said, a day after the first craft was spotted over US skies. “We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon.”
@theGrauniad
Perhaps they got away after the New Year celebrations in Beijing?
“We are seeing reports of a balloon transiting Latin America,” Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said, a day after the first craft was spotted over US skies. “We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon.”
@theGrauniad
Perhaps they got away after the New Year celebrations in Beijing?
It seems the USA has used balloons to spy in the past - news comment though.
Seems it's a zero pressure balloon. There are ways of controlling the height they float at so on the face of it a sky blue stealth balloon is not impossible. In fact it seems that they can also have some positive pressure, not much info. Plenty on converting rise and burst balloons to floaters.
Steerable though. Maybe by varying height but I doubt if there is any other way. Try sailing a yacht without a keel and resistance side movement due to the boat.
Blinken of course is shaken to the core.
Is there going to be a military balloon tactical race. Should there be an export ban on helium and the materials and chips to make them. The USA's sovereign airspace has been invaded.
This USA China posturing may lead to war so Blinken must go.
Could it be that Blinken can't afford to go to china as the USA has exceeded it's $34t debt limit.
They just showed a satellite shot of the nuke base on the TV. Better lock up the reporters.
Seems it's a zero pressure balloon. There are ways of controlling the height they float at so on the face of it a sky blue stealth balloon is not impossible. In fact it seems that they can also have some positive pressure, not much info. Plenty on converting rise and burst balloons to floaters.
Steerable though. Maybe by varying height but I doubt if there is any other way. Try sailing a yacht without a keel and resistance side movement due to the boat.
Blinken of course is shaken to the core.
Is there going to be a military balloon tactical race. Should there be an export ban on helium and the materials and chips to make them. The USA's sovereign airspace has been invaded.This USA China posturing may lead to war so Blinken must go.
Could it be that Blinken can't afford to go to china as the USA has exceeded it's $34t debt limit. They just showed a satellite shot of the nuke base on the TV. Better lock up the reporters.
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Everyone use weather balloons and scientific balloons.
Everyone uses spy balloons.
Everyone lies.
It's hard to "collect" the thing intact, but equally the Chinese know it might come down by itself. They have suggested the yanks should inspect it before complaining, so if it's nefarious, they would have thought of that.
The Chinese should have informed th US that the thing was on its way, and they didn't.
Time to do whatever they can to inspect it, down it, one way or the other, and find the hell out what it is.
Then shoot down any repeats.
Everyone uses spy balloons.
Everyone lies.
It's hard to "collect" the thing intact, but equally the Chinese know it might come down by itself. They have suggested the yanks should inspect it before complaining, so if it's nefarious, they would have thought of that.
The Chinese should have informed th US that the thing was on its way, and they didn't.
Time to do whatever they can to inspect it, down it, one way or the other, and find the hell out what it is.
Then shoot down any repeats.
They won't shoot it down, as they can't control where it could fall.
Put a big enough hole in it, and it'll fall pretty much straight down
And Montana is hardly dense with anything other than nothingness.....
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It must have blown a fair way from Montana to have landed in the sea. Chinese would have shifted the altitude to get the direction they wanted.
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Two of their fighters get high enough - it was only at 60kft.
They were saying that if you hit the balloon, which is at very low pressure and just very thin nylon, missiles go through and the holes don't let the gas out fast enough. So you'd need to explode something without it having hit anything solid. A laser would be neat - draw a hole whatever size you like
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Very public spirited right? Nothing to do with them wanting to study it in detail which might be harder if it sustains a lot of damage on impactPut a big enough hole in it, and it'll fall pretty much straight down
And Montana is hardly dense with anything other than nothingness.....
Balloon said to be at 60,000 feet
Some business jets can soar up to 15,000 meters, while most military aircraft can fly at this altitude or even a little higher. However, these aircraft tend to stay below 15,000 feet for safety reasons, as the air can become too thin and make it impossible to burn aviation fuel continuously.
I wondered if they hadn't because they couldn't.
15,000m = ~49,000ft and heat and radar homing may not work well.
Some business jets can soar up to 15,000 meters, while most military aircraft can fly at this altitude or even a little higher. However, these aircraft tend to stay below 15,000 feet for safety reasons, as the air can become too thin and make it impossible to burn aviation fuel continuously.
I wondered if they hadn't because they couldn't.15,000m = ~49,000ft and heat and radar homing may not work well.
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You were saying .....
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