Airspace incursions

[JCB]

[Dan T.]

US Successfully Shoots Down

Kid Jumping Too High on a Trampoline
 

 

 

WASHINGTON—Following weeks of closer scrutiny into objects entering U.S. airspace, Pentagon officials announced Tuesday that they’d successfully shot down a kid jumping too high on a trampoline.

 

“The airborne object spotted about nine feet above a small midwestern town was successfully downed by an American F-22 with NORAD,” said Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, confirming that the kid had been jumping way too high to not pose a very real threat to civilian air traffic. “We noticed the suspicious 10-year-old repeatedly approaching the United States fly zone on an erratic launch pattern, and our people had no record of approval for him to be at that altitude. As soon as we saw him bringing in a huskier boy for a double-bouncing maneuver, we knew we had to take action." 

 

 

https://www.theonion.com/u-s-successfully-shoots-down-kid-jumping-too-high-on-t-1850140813

Edited February 24, 2023 by Dan T.

[NickyJ]

Sounds to me like it's time to dust off the SDI. It should be easier to use on balloons than on ICBMs.

[Captain Wiggles]

SDI 🤭

 

[Cooked Crack]

 

 

[China]

Exclusive: Never-before-seen Chinese military blimp caught on satellite images of remote desert base

 

A large blimp developed by the Chinese military has been spotted for the first time at a remote base in the desert of northwestern China, exclusive new satellite imagery obtained by CNN shows.

 

Aerospace experts say the images, taken three months before a Chinese spy balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina, could signal a notable advancement in China’s airship program, demonstrating a more versatile and maneuverable craft than previously seen or known.

 

The images, taken in November 2022 by US satellite imaging company BlackSky, show a roughly 100-foot long blimp in the middle of a nearly kilometer-long runway at a desert military complex in northwestern China. CNN presented the imagery to a number of aerospace experts, who confirmed they show a blimp and runway, bookended by a pivot point used to launch airships, as well as a massive, nearly 900-foot airship hangar.

 

 

Oklahoma Aerospace Institute executive director Jamey Jacobs said a blimp like this could be used as a “submarine of the skies,” and that it appears to have dedicated propulsion and navigation capabilities, which would allow it to loiter over an area for an extended period.

 

“It really is the next leap for them in terms of furthering the engineering and support of research funding in that direction,” Jacobs said.

 

CNN reached out to several congressional and administration offices familiar with US intelligence on China who would not speak directly about the base or the blimp.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Captain Wiggles]

Quote

Jamey Jacobs said a blimp like this could be used as a “submarine of the skies,”

 

It's gonna submerge under the sky? 🤔

 

[China]

Chinese spy balloon used American-made parts, did not transmit data: Officials

 

The Chinese spy balloon that was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean in early February was built -- at least partly -- using American off-the-shelf parts, a U.S. official has confirmed to ABC News.

 

A second U.S. official was also able to confirm that the balloon did not appear to have transmitted any of the data it collected on its journey above North America, as was initially reported by the Wall Street Journal.

 

The first official could not say whether any of the American gear was sold illicitly to China but said determining whether any of it came from illegal trade was a topic of serious concern among officials since some items -- like chips -- are forbidden to sell to certain markets.

[Renegade7]

Man, the audacity needed to build a Ballon out of parts from a country you spying on and float that mf'r over the same country so slow and low they can see it then claim its a weather ballon.

[Larry]

Wonder why they didn't design it to transmit.  Were they planning on recovering the thing?  If nothing else, why not put a cellular plan on it?  No coverage at that altitude?  

 

[Bang]

To see what we'd do, maybe.

 

~Bang

[Renegade7]

18 minutes ago, Bang said:

To see what we'd do, maybe.

 

~Bang

 

If it transmitted would've given away what they were collecting or specifically after.

[Cooked Crack]

 

[Larry]

And?  

 

Is this supposed to be scary, or something?  What, the balloon had a cell phone in it?  

 

(I'd assume something a bit more sophisticated.  Probably can't get cell coverage at that altitude.  But something similar.  Starlink?)

[China]

Military says high-altitude balloon detected over Western U.S. doesn't pose a threat

 

The U.S. is tracking a small, high-altitude balloon that is drifting across the country but poses no threat to national security, U.S. officials and the military said Friday.

 

CBS News first reported that the military was tracking the balloon as it traversed the Western U.S. earlier in the day. NORAD, the military command responsible for air defense over the U.S. and Canada, later confirmed it had detected the object and said it was floating between 43,000 and 45,000 feet. Its presence prompted enough concern that the command sent aircraft to investigate.

 

"The balloon was intercepted by NORAD fighters over Utah, who determined it was not maneuverable and did not present a threat to national security. NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon," NORAD said in a statement. "The FAA also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety."

 

One U.S. official told CBS News the balloon was expected to be over Georgia by Friday night. The official said the balloon appeared to be made of Mylar and had a small cube-shaped box, about two feet long on each side, hanging below it. Its origins and purpose remain unknown.

 

The developments come one year after tensions between the U.S. and China ratcheted to new heights after a Chinese balloon carrying sophisticated spying equipment flew over the continental U.S. for several days. 

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Metalhead]

On 2/24/2023 at 4:11 PM, Captain Wiggles said:

SDI 🤭

 

 

Edited February 24 by Metalhead

[Xameil]

2 hours ago, Metalhead said:

 

So we have a mix of Spies Like Us and Real Genius?

[Metalhead]

20 minutes ago, Xameil said:

So we have a mix of Spies Like Us and Real Genius?

Yes! A science-y mashup.

[Xameil]

31 minutes ago, Metalhead said:

Yes! A science-y mashup.

Lol I hardly call Spies like Us....science-y.

 

But it was a good excuse to....Have a Pepsi...