Spy Balloons And Mystery Objects Raise High-Altitude Awareness

U-2 cockpit “selfie” photo of Chinese high-altitude balloon

The U.S. Air Force released a rare U-2 cockpit “selfie” photo, which captured the shadow of the spyplane on the envelope of the Chinese high-altitude balloon on its path over the U.S. on Feb. 3.

Credit: Defense Department
An era of benign neglect of high-altitude balloons and other unidentified objects roaming across and above controlled airspace is coming to an end. As suspicions arose that the U.S. Air Force shot down at least one harmless hobbyist balloon, the White House on Feb. 16 ordered the government to begin...

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