3rd unidentified object shot down, this time over Canada - P17

[SPIDERBOY]

There's 3 of them.

 

[give it to gordon]

Theres one in Latin America now !

I think it's the gala bingo ad gone wrong

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Are they relaunching Nimble bread?

 

[domalino]

It's really a proper non-story, we're told that a satellite can almost count the hairs on somebody's head and the world is pissing about causing worry about a fucking balloon.

Its a provocation, just China testing the waters to see what the US would do, and zero coincidence it happened a week before Blinken was headed out there.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

This balloon was up at 60,000ft, which is roughly the equivalent distance between the Etihad and the centre of Bolton.

Shooting it down with a missile at this altitude (difficult in itself) would scatter debris over 1000's of square kilometers, and be utterly pointless form an intelligence gathering perspective.

I guess some kind of directed energy weapon such as a high intensity laser could be used in an attempt to rupture the balloon and then track the payload to the ground optically, but the difficulty here is getting a laser with enough power close enough to take the shot.

 

[sir baconface]

Ha ha, reminds me of an old joke a Teacher told at school

Ho Hi was a Chinaman!

How Lo was his friend.

 

[Tuearts right boot]

This balloon was up at 60,000ft, which is roughly the equivalent distance between the Etihad and the centre of Bolton.

Shooting it down with a missile at this altitude (difficult in itself) would scatter debris over 1000's of square kilometers, and be utterly pointless form an intelligence gathering perspective.

I guess some kind of directed energy weapon such as a high intensity laser could be used in an attempt to rupture the balloon and then track the payload to the ground optically, but the difficulty here is getting a laser with enough power close enough to take the shot.

Yes but the resulting rapid deflation accompanied by the endless cartoon type farting noise would be a sight to behold

 

[GaudinoMotors]

More tasteful than the ones people tie to chairs in restaurants.

 

[Barcon]

Because countries can only claim airspace up to a certain altitude. If the Americans shot down the balloon, they would be creating a precedent whereby any country with the capability could potentially feel within it's rights to shoot down a foreign geostationary satellite that was above its airspace.
I think the Americans are just going to have to swallow this one.

I didn't know that. Everyday is a school day here. ; )

 

[Blue Maverick]

This balloon was up at 60,000ft, which is roughly the equivalent distance between the Etihad and the centre of Bolton.

Shooting it down with a missile at this altitude (difficult in itself) would scatter debris over 1000's of square kilometers, and be utterly pointless form an intelligence gathering perspective.

I guess some kind of directed energy weapon such as a high intensity laser could be used in an attempt to rupture the balloon and then track the payload to the ground optically, but the difficulty here is getting a laser with enough power close enough to take the shot.

Can’t they just put a big needle on the front of an F18 and poke it