Enlarge / Stratospheric weather balloons are released every day, such as this one from the Technical University of Munich in 2021. The Chinese balloon is likely much larger and more sophisticated. (credit: Tobias Hase/picture alliance via Getty Images)
On Thursday US officials confirmed that a high-altitude balloon, launched some days ago by the Chinese government, has been flying over the Northern United States. This has since become an international incident and led the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, to delay a high-profile visit to China to meet with the nation’s president, Xi Jinping.
The balloon’s flight raises a number of questions—such as, just what the heck is it doing there? This story will address what is known, and not known, about the flight. The information below is based on public statements, other news reports, and an interview with a stratospheric balloon expert, Andrew Antonio, whose company, Urban Sky, is developing the world’s first reusable stratospheric balloons for remote sensing.
How big is the balloon?
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