Explained
The 2023 Balloon Shootdowns
After shooting down a Chinese surveillance balloon off South Carolina on February 4, the U.S. adjusted its radar filters and spotted more slow objects. Fighters shot down objects over Alaska, Canada's Yukon and Lake Huron. Officials said the last three were most likely harmless commercial or hobby balloons; an Illinois club reported losing one of its balloons around that time.
Weigh the evidence
The ledger
What the record shows, what people say, and the best explanation available so far.
What's documented
- The shootdowns were confirmed by the White House and Pentagon.
What's claimed
Nothing on this side of the ledger.
Best explanation so far
A real-time lesson: once you tune sensors to look for small, slow things, the sky is full of them.
Where to look
Check the sources
Go to the originals. Every link opens the archive or record in a new tab.
Related entries