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{{Short description|Aerial espionage and shootdown incident}}
{{about|the Chinese balloon shot down on February 4|other 2023 high-altitude object events|List of high-altitude object events in 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox event
| image = File:U-2 Pilot over Central Continental United States (7644960) (cropped).jpg
| caption = The balloon photographed over the [[Central United States]] from a U.S. Air Force [[Lockheed U-2|U-2]] on February 3
| date = {{start and end dates|2023|01|28|2023|02|04}}
| Location = Airspace over the United States, Canada, and [[territorial waters]]
| type = [[Airspace]] violation; [[diplomatic incident]]
| cause = High-altitude Chinese balloon entering foreign airspace
| motive = Blown off course into U.S. airspace due to [[westerlies]], or for reconnaissance (allegedly)
| outcome = Balloon downed by an [[AIM-9 Sidewinder]] fired by a U.S. Air Force  [[Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor|F-22 Raptor]]; debris recovered<ref name="kirbyplans" />
| participants = {{tree list}}
*{{flag|United States}} 
**[[Joe Biden]]
***[[Lloyd Austin]]
***[[Mark Milley]]
***[[Glen D. VanHerck|Glen VanHerck]] ([[NORAD]])
*{{flag|Canada}}
**[[Justin Trudeau]]
***[[Anita Anand]]
***[[Wayne Eyre]]
*{{flag|China}}
**[[Xi Jinping]]
***[[Wang Yi (politician)|Wang Yi]]
***[[Qin Gang]]
{{tree list/end}}
}}

From January 28 to February 4, 2023, a [[high-altitude balloon]] originating from [[China]] flew across North American airspace, including [[Alaska]], [[western Canada]], and the [[contiguous United States]].<ref>{{cite news |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Chinese spy balloon over US is weather device says Beijing |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64515033 |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206203218/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64515033 |url-status=live}}</ref> On February 4, the [[U.S. Air Force]] shot down the balloon over U.S. [[territorial waters]] off the coast of [[South Carolina]]. Debris from the wreckage was recovered and sent to the [[FBI Laboratory]] in [[Quantico, Virginia]], for analysis.<ref name="kirbyplans" /> Following a preliminary analysis of the debris in June, U.S. officials stated that the balloon carried intelligence-gathering equipment but does not appear to have sent information back to China.<ref name=":32">{{Cite news |date=2023-06-30 |title=Chinese spy balloon did not collect information, says Pentagon |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66062562 |access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref> U.S. President [[Joe Biden]] described the balloon as carrying two [[Boxcar|railroad cars]]' equivalent of spy equipment, however stated that it was "not a major breach", and that he also believed that the Chinese leadership was not aware of the balloon. The U.S. government said the balloon had a propeller for maneuverability.<ref name=":92">{{Cite news |last=Youssef |first=Nancy A. |date=2023-06-29 |title=Chinese Balloon Used American Tech to Spy on Americans |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-balloon-used-american-tech-to-spy-on-americans-2e3f5039 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-06-30 |issn=0099-9660 |quote=With a propeller, the craft could maneuver and loiter over a site for long periods}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=US-China tensions: Biden calls Xi a dictator a day after Beijing talks |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65969802.amp |access-date=22 June 2023 |work=[[BBC]] |date=21 June 2023 |language=en |quote=I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment in it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McFadden |first=Christopher |date=2023-06-29 |title=Chinese spy balloon used off-the-shelf US tech |url=https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/chinese-spy-balloon-us-tech |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=interestingengineering.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

When the object was first spotted, the [[United States Department of Defense|Pentagon]] characterized it as a [[Observation balloon|surveillance balloon]]. The [[Chinese government]] maintained it was a civilian (mainly meteorological) [[airship]] that had been blown off course.<ref name="Lee">{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Matthew |date=February 4, 2023 |title=Chinese balloon soars across US; Blinken scraps Beijing trip |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6 |url-status=live |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205001417/https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6 |archive-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref> According to U.S. officials, the balloon carried antennas and other equipment capable of geolocating communications signals, and similar balloons from China have flown over more than 40 nations.<ref name="washingtonpost/2023/02/09/chinese-balloon-program2">{{cite news |last1=Hudson |first1=John |last2=Nakashima |first2=Ellen |last3=Lamothe |first3=Dan |date=February 9, 2023 |title=U.S. declassifies balloon intelligence, calls out China for spying |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/09/chinese-balloon-surveillance-program/ |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210005507/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/09/chinese-balloon-surveillance-program/ |archive-date=February 10, 2023}}</ref> Analysts said that its flight path and structural characteristics were dissimilar from those of a typical weather balloon.<ref name="time/6253002">{{cite magazine |title=The Chinese Balloon Looks Nothing Like a Weather Balloon |first=Anisha |last=Kohli |date=February 4, 2023 |url=https://time.com/6253002/chinese-balloon-weather-balloon-experts/ |access-date=February 7, 2023 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url-access=limited |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204201819/https://time.com/6253002/chinese-balloon-weather-balloon-experts/ |url-status=live}}</ref> American officials later disclosed that they had been tracking the balloon since it was launched from [[Hainan]] and its original destinations were likely [[Guam]] and [[Hawaii]],{{efn|Guam and Hawaii are home to key U.S. military installations.<ref>{{cite news |title=How a Fog of Questions Over a Spy Balloon and U.F.O.s Fed a Diplomatic Crisis |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 15, 2023 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/15/us/politics/balloon-ufo-us-china.html |last1=Wong |first1=Edward |last2=Barnes |first2=Julian E. |last3=Entous |first3=Adam }}</ref>}} but [[prevailing winds]] blew it off course and across North America.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last= |date=2023-02-16 |title=Downed Chinese balloon aimed for Hawaii but was blown off course - U.S. official |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/downed-chinese-balloon-aimed-hawaii-was-blown-off-course-us-official-2023-02-15/ |access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref>

The incident increased [[U.S.–China tensions]]. The United States called the balloon's presence a violation of its sovereignty, and its Secretary of State [[Antony Blinken]] postponed a long-awaited diplomatic visit to [[Beijing]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Pamuk |first1=Humeyra |last2=Ali |first2=Idrees |last3=Martina |first3=Michael |last4=Ali |first4=Idrees |date=2023-02-04 |title=Blinken postpones China trip over 'unacceptable' Chinese spy balloon |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china-expresses-regret-that-civilian-airship-strays-over-us-2023-02-03/}}</ref><ref name="wapo2">{{cite news |last1=Cadell |first1=Cate |last2=Hudson |first2=John |last3=Abutaleb |first3=Yasmeen |title=Blinken postpones China trip as suspected spy balloon detected over U.S. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/03/blinken-postpones-china-trip-suspected-spy-balloon-detected-over-us |url-access=limited |access-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Hansler">{{cite news |last1=Hansler |first1=Jennifer |last2=Liptak |first2=Kevin |last3=Herb |first3=Jeremy |last4=Atwood |first4=Kylie |last5=Sciutto |first5=Kylie |last6=Liebermann |first6=Oren |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Blinken postpones trip to Beijing after Chinese spy balloon spotted over US, officials say |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/03/politics/china-us-balloon-intl/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204022758/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/03/politics/china-us-balloon-intl/index.html |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref> Canada summoned the Chinese ambassador in response to the incident.<ref name="ctvnews.ca">{{cite news |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Ottawa tight-lipped on details as Canada, U.S. call out China over balloon |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ottawa-tight-lipped-on-details-as-canada-u-s-call-out-china-over-balloon-1.6258826 |access-date=February 3, 2023 |publisher=[[CTV News]] |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204022756/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ottawa-tight-lipped-on-details-as-canada-u-s-call-out-china-over-balloon-1.6258826 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Forensics of the wreckage have confirmed that the balloon's sensors had never been activated while it was flying over the continental US, and so it did not transmit any intelligence back to China.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-18 |title=The bizarre secret behind China's spy balloon |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/bizarre-secret-behind-chinas-spy-132621162.html |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}</ref> In December 2023, NBC news reported that according to US intelligence officials, the balloon had made use of a commercially available American internet service provider to communicate, and that it was "primarily for navigation".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-28 |title=U.S. intelligence officials determined the Chinese spy balloon used a U.S. internet provider to communicate |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/us-intelligence-officials-determined-chinese-spy-balloon-used-us-inter-rcna131150 |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>

[[List of high-altitude object events in 2023|Three other high-altitude objects]], over [[2023 Alaska high-altitude object|Northern Alaska]] (February 10),<ref name="NYT">{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Helene |author1-link=Helene Cooper |last2=Barnes |first2=Julian E. |last3=Wong |first3=Edward |date=2023-02-10 |title=U.S. Shoots Down High-Altitude Object Over Alaska |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/us/politics/unidentified-object-shot-down-alaska.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=2023-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210194233/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/us/politics/unidentified-object-shot-down-alaska.html |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> [[2023 Yukon high-altitude object|Yukon]] (February 11),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Newton |first1=Paula |date=11 February 2023 |title=NORAD says additional 'object' detected over northern Canada |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/politics/norad-additional-object-northern-canada/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=11 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211221434/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/11/politics/norad-additional-object-northern-canada/index.html |archive-date=February 11, 2023}}</ref> and [[2023 Lake Huron high-altitude object|Lake Huron]] (February 11–12) respectively, were detected and subsequently shot down; a later assessment said they had no relation to China.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":2">{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Phil |last2=Shalal |first2=Andrea |last3=Stewart |first3=Phil |date=2023-02-13 |title=U.S. military brings down flying object over Lake Huron |publisher=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-officials-believe-flying-objects-over-alaska-canada-were-balloons-schumer-2023-02-12/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213000224/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-officials-believe-flying-objects-over-alaska-canada-were-balloons-schumer-2023-02-12/ |archive-date=February 13, 2023}}</ref>

==Background==
===History and development of reconnaissance balloons===
{{further|History of military ballooning}}

Balloons have been valued for their ability to observe the battlefield and direct artillery. Their usage peaked during [[World War I]], after which they were increasingly replaced by airplanes.<ref name="TimeFeb3">{{cite magazine |last=De Guzman |first=Chad |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Why Is China Allegedly Using a Spy Balloon When It Has a Global Satellite Network? |url=https://time.com/6252673/chinese-spy-balloon-satellite/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203165707/https://time.com/6252673/chinese-spy-balloon-satellite/ |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |access-date=February 4, 2023 |url-access=limited}}</ref> During the [[Cold War]], the United States sent hundreds of high-altitude balloons, ostensibly for "meteorological survey" under [[Project Genetrix]], over China and other [[Eastern Bloc]] countries to gain intelligence on their nuclear capabilities, drawing their protests.<ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Schwarz |first=Jon |date=2023-02-07 |title=U.S. Sent "Weather" Balloons to Spy on China and the Soviet Union in the 1950s |url=https://theintercept.com/2023/02/07/china-balloon-soviet-union/ |website=[[The Intercept]] |quote=Asked if the United States feels that they have the right to send these balloons at a certain height anywhere around the globe, Dulles answered, Yes, I think that we feel that way.}}</ref><ref name="factbox">{{cite news |date=3 February 2023 |title=Factbox: High-altitude spy balloons: old concept, new applications |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/high-altitude-spy-balloons-old-concept-new-applications-2023-02-03/}}</ref>

Although mostly supplanted by [[Reconnaissance satellite|surveillance satellite]]s and [[unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle|unmanned aerial vehicle]]s, balloons have retained some advantages, such as a lower cost of production and deployment.<ref name="BBCFeb3">{{cite news |last1=Ng |first1=Kelly |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Why would China use a spy balloon when it has satellites? |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64508086 |url-status=live |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204120702/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64508086 |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hitchens |first=Theresa |date=July 28, 2022 |title=Way up in the air: World View looks to expand customer base for its 'Stratollite' balloon |work=Breaking Defense |url=https://breakingdefense.sites.breakingmedia.com/2022/07/way-up-in-the-air-world-view-looks-to-expand-customer-base-for-its-stratollite-balloon/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216203414/https://breakingdefense.com/2022/07/way-up-in-the-air-world-view-looks-to-expand-customer-base-for-its-stratollite-balloon/ |archive-date=February 16, 2023}}</ref> By 2019, [[the Pentagon]] had invested millions in [[COLD STAR]] (Covert Long Dwell Stratospheric Architecture), a project for stealthy balloons that are now being transitioned from narcotics surveillance into military service.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hudson |first=Lee |date=3 February 2023 |title=It's 2023. Why are militaries still using spy balloons? |language=en |website=[[Politico]] |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/03/militaries-spy-balloons-china-00081115 |access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hudson |first=Lee |date=2022-07-05 |title=U.S. military's newest weapon against China and Russia: Hot air |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/05/u-s-militarys-newest-weapon-against-china-and-russia-hot-air-00043860 |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=[[Politico]]}}</ref> China recognizes the importance of catching up to foreign countries in this domain.<ref name="nytimes/2023/02/08/Barnes-balloons">{{Cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian E. |last2=Wong |first2=Edward |last3=Cooper |first3=Helene |last4=Buckley |first4=Chris |date=2023-02-08 |title=China Sends Spy Balloons Over Military Sites Worldwide, U.S. Officials Say |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/us/politics/china-spy-balloons.html |access-date=2023-02-23 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Its military publications have highlighted the use of balloons to assess the early warning and response capabilities of enemy air defenses and to enhance China's own defense capabilities.<ref name="Reuters">{{cite news |last1=Baptista |first1=Eduardo |last2=Torode |first2=Greg |date=February 6, 2023 |title=China's military has shown growing interest in high-altitude balloons |publisher=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-military-has-shown-growing-interest-high-altitude-balloons-2023-02-06/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206235821/https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-military-has-shown-growing-interest-high-altitude-balloons-2023-02-06/ |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":82">{{Cite news |date=April 14, 2023 |title=Leaked secret documents detail up to four additional Chinese spy balloons |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/14/chinese-spy-balloon-leaked-documents/ |access-date=April 15, 2023}}</ref>

==== Past Chinese balloons and unidentified objects ====
Suspected Chinese surveillance balloons have been detected in [[airspace class (United States)|U.S. airspace]] in the past,<ref name="cnbc/balloon-washington-beijing2">{{cite news |last=Wilkie |first=Christina |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Chinese spy balloon fallout roils Washington and Beijing |publisher=[[CNBC]] |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/06/chinese-spy-balloon-fallout-roils-washington-and-beijing.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206230647/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/06/chinese-spy-balloon-fallout-roils-washington-and-beijing.html |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Phil |last2=Ali |first2=Idrees |last3=Stewart |first3=Phil |last4=Ali |first4=Idrees |date=February 6, 2023 |title=U.S. failed to detect past Chinese spy balloons, Air Force general says |publisher=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-failed-detect-past-chinese-spy-balloons-over-united-states-us-general-2023-02-06/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206221001/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-failed-detect-past-chinese-spy-balloons-over-united-states-us-general-2023-02-06/ |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref> namely over [[Guam]], [[Hawaii]], and [[Florida]].<ref name="cbsnews/202302052">{{cite news |title=Biden says U.S. will "take care of" suspected Chinese spy balloon |language=en-US |publisher=[[CBS News]] |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chinese-spy-balloon-montana-flight-tracking/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205125324/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chinese-spy-balloon-montana-flight-tracking/ |archive-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref><ref name="abcnews/968607182">{{cite news |last1=Raddatz |first1=Martha |last2=Martinez |first2=Luis |last3=Yiu |first3=Karson |title=Large Chinese reconnaissance balloon spotted over the US, officials say |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/chinese-spy-balloon-surveilling-us-senior-official/story?id=96860718 |url-status=live |access-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203000653/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/chinese-spy-balloon-surveilling-us-senior-official/story?id=96860718 |archive-date=February 3, 2023}}</ref><ref name="apnews/Miller/downs-balloon2">{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Zeke |last2=Balsamo |first2=Michael |last3=Long |first3=Colleen |last4=Madhani |first4=Aamer |last5=Baldor |first5=Lolita C. |date=February 5, 2023 |title=US downs Chinese balloon, drawing a threat from China |publisher=[[AP News]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb |url-status=live |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204191009/https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref> One incursion occurred earlier during [[Presidency of Joe Biden|Joe Biden's presidency]] (after January 20, 2021)<ref name="apnews/Miller/downs-balloon2" /><ref name="Baldor2">{{cite news |last1=Baldor |first1=Lolita C. |last2=Copp |first2=Tara |date=February 4, 2023 |title=China balloon: Many questions about suspected spy in the sky |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53 |url-status=live |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209010911/https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53 |archive-date=February 9, 2023}}</ref> and three occurred during [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Donald Trump's presidency]] (2017–2021).<ref name="apnews/Miller/downs-balloon2" /><ref name="Baldor2" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Neukam |first=Stephen |date=February 5, 2023 |title=Chinese balloons flew over US three times during Trump administration: officials |language=en-US |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3844511-chinese-balloons-flew-over-us-three-times-during-trump-administration-officials/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205191639/https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3844511-chinese-balloons-flew-over-us-three-times-during-trump-administration-officials/ |archive-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref> These incursions did not persist as long as the one in 2023, and China was able to recover those balloons.<ref name="Baldor2" />

Other pre-2023 incursions have remained unexplained and are classified by U.S. authorities as [[unidentified aerial phenomena]].<ref name="InitialIncursions2">{{Cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian E. |last2=Cooper |first2=Helene |last3=Wong |first3=Edward |date=February 7, 2023 |title=Previous Chinese Balloon Incursions Initially Went Undetected |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/06/us/politics/china-spy-balloon-trump-administration.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209234711/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/06/us/politics/china-spy-balloon-trump-administration.html |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 2022, the [[Office of the Director for National Intelligence]] said that there had been at least 171 reports of unexplained aerial phenomena in the United States, and the intelligence community has been unable to determine their precise nature.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Banco |first1=Erin |date=March 21, 2023 |title=What the Biden administration isn't telling Congress about spy balloons |language=en |work=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/21/congress-chinese-spy-balloon-00087980 |access-date=25 March 2023}}</ref> The commander of [[United States Northern Command]] (USNORTHCOM), General [[Glen D. VanHerck|Glen VanHerck]], said that U.S. failure to detect and identify all such incursions is "a domain awareness gap that we have to figure out".<ref name="Roque2">Ashley Roque, [https://breakingdefense.com/2023/02/other-chinese-balloons-slipped-through-domain-awareness-gap-in-us-defenses-general/ Other Chinese balloons slipped through 'domain awareness gap' in US defenses: General] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209114541/https://breakingdefense.com/2023/02/other-chinese-balloons-slipped-through-domain-awareness-gap-in-us-defenses-general/|date=February 9, 2023}}, ''Breaking Defense'' (February 6, 2023).</ref><ref name="thedrive/u-2-snooped2">{{cite news |last1=Trevithick |first1=Joseph |last2=Rogoway |first2=Tyler |date=February 6, 2023 |title=U-2 Spy Planes Snooped On Chinese Surveillance Balloon |website=The Drive |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/u-2-spy-planes-snooped-on-chinese-surveillance-balloon |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207020108/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/u-2-spy-planes-snooped-on-chinese-surveillance-balloon |archive-date=February 7, 2023}}</ref><ref name="vanherck6feb2">{{cite web |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Holds an Off-Camera, On-The-Record Briefing on the High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon Recovery Efforts |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3289888/gen-glen-vanherck-commander-north-american-aerospace-defense-command-and-united/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207074602/https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3289888/gen-glen-vanherck-commander-north-american-aerospace-defense-command-and-united/ |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |publisher=[[U.S. Department of Defense]]}}</ref> In response, the U.S. changed the sensitivity of its radar detection systems, which enabled it to detect additional UFOs.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Newman |first1=Lily Hay |date=14 February 2023 |title=The More You Look for Spy Balloons, the More UFOs You'll Find |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/spy-balloons-ufo-shot-down-us/ |access-date=9 July 2023}}</ref>

The [[U.S. Department of State]] said that many Chinese balloons have flown over more than forty countries and said that they have carried out surveillance linked to the Chinese military.<ref name="nytimes/2023/02/09/china-balloon-program3">{{cite news |last1=Wong |first1=Edward |last2=Barnes |first2=Julian E. |date=February 9, 2023 |title=Chinese Balloon Had Tools to Collect Electronic Communications, U.S. Says |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/us/politics/china-spy-balloon-program.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209231207/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/us/politics/china-spy-balloon-program.html |archive-date=February 9, 2023}}</ref><ref name="washingtonpost/2023/02/09/chinese-balloon-program2"/><ref name="voanews/69556112">{{cite news |last1=Bredemeier |first1=Ken |last2=Farivar |first2=Masood |date=February 9, 2023 |title=US: Chinese Military Likely at Center of Balloon-Spying Operation |publisher=[[Voice of America]] |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-chinese-military-likely-at-center-of-balloon-spying-operation-/6955611.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209212448/https://www.voanews.com/a/us-chinese-military-likely-at-center-of-balloon-spying-operation-/6955611.html |archive-date=February 9, 2023}}</ref> In 2020 and 2021, similar balloons were sighted in [[Sendai, Japan|Sendai]] and [[Hachinohe|Hachinohe, Japan]], respectively, but they were not identified as of Chinese origin at the time.<ref>{{cite news |title=What could Japan do about foreign spy balloons over its territory? |work=[[The Japan Times]] |agency= |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/06/national/japan-foreign-spy-balloons-action |url-status=live |access-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218045907/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/06/national/japan-foreign-spy-balloons-action |archive-date=February 18, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Japan to pave way for military to shoot down intruding balloons |work=[[The Straits Times]] |agency= |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-to-pave-way-for-military-to-shoot-down-intruding-balloons |url-status=live |access-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218045905/https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-to-pave-way-for-military-to-shoot-down-intruding-balloons |archive-date=February 18, 2023}}</ref> A similar aircraft was sighted in January 2022 over [[India]]'s strategically important [[Andaman and Nicobar islands]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kumar |first1=Ankit |last2=Bhalla |first2=Abhishek |date=2023-02-06 |title=Mystery balloon hovered over Andaman & Nicobar Islands around tri-service military drill |website=[[India Today]] |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/mystery-balloon-hovered-over-andaman-islands-around-tri-service-military-drill-2331191-2023-02-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2023-02-18 |title=Uncontacted tribes and an Indian military base. Did a 'spy' balloon snoop on the Andaman and Nicobar islands? |language=en |website=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/17/india/india-china-spy-balloon-andaman-nicobars-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref> In February 2022, [[Taiwan]]'s [[Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China|Ministry of National Defense]] said that several balloons detected off the coast of the country were likely used for meteorological observations for China's [[Eastern Theater Command]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 28, 2022 |title=Chinese weather balloons no reason for alarm: MND |website=[[Taipei Times]] |agency=[[Central News Agency (Taiwan)|CNA]] |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2022/02/28/2003773921 |url-status=live |access-date=January 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325052124/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2022/02/28/2003773921 |archive-date=March 25, 2022}}</ref> Another crashed near Taiwan in February 2023, carrying an antenna, a transmitter, and temperature and humidity sensors and was likely from China as well.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-02-18 |title=Taiwan says crashed balloon was used for weather monitoring |website=[[South China Morning Post]] |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3210704/taiwan-confirms-crashed-balloon-was-used-weather-monitoring-after-analysis}}</ref>

===U.S.–China tensions===
{{further|China–United States relations}}
The 2023 balloon incident occurred while U.S.–China relations were at their worst in decades,<ref name="nytimes/2023/02/09/china-balloon-program3"/> following suspected incidents of Chinese espionage{{efn|The ''New York Times'' article cites the [[Office of Personnel Management data breach]], the [[Anthem medical data breach]], and a [[Marriott International]] data breach as examples.}} and amid increasing [[strategic competition]] in military and economic sectors.<ref name="CompIntensifies2">{{cite news |last=Sanger |first=David E. |date=February 5, 2023 |title=Balloon Incident Reveals More Than Spying as Competition With China Intensifies |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/05/us/politics/balloon-china-spying-united-states.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210105143/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/05/us/politics/balloon-china-spying-united-states.html |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 2022, the United States, along with some of its allies, imposed stringent [[export control]]s on "foundational technologies", such as [[Semiconductor device fabrication|semiconductor microprocessors]], to China in order to hamper the latter's development of advanced technology and military tools.<ref name="nytimes/2023/02/09/china-balloon-program3" /> The US has also sought to maintain critical [[supply chains]] independent from China.<ref name="nytimes/2023/02/09/china-balloon-program3" />

== Incident ==
=== Balloon ===
[[File:Chinese Balloon Size Comparison.svg|right|thumb|Comparisons of an estimated size of the balloon with [[silhouette]]s of an [[F-22]], an AIM-9X [[AIM-9 Sidewinder missile|Sidewinder missile]], a [[human being]], and the [[Statue of Liberty]] ]]

====Size, propulsion, and payload====
The balloon carried an underslung payload described as a "technology bay" estimated to be the size of "two or three school buses"{{Efn|Sources citing the defense official who gave the estimate did not identify what size of a bus was referenced. Lengths of U.S. school buses vary but are limited to {{convert|45|ft}} per specifications defined by the National Congress on School Transportation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://msbo.org/sites/default/files/NationalSpecs.pdf|title=National School Transportation Specifications & Procedures|date=May 20, 2010|page=47|access-date=February 6, 2023|archive-date=December 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225121121/https://www.msbo.org/sites/default/files/NationalSpecs.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>}} and was powered by sixteen [[Solar panel|solar arrays]] mounted on the payload. The balloon was {{convert|200|feet}} tall according to U.S. General Glen D. VanHerck.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 8, 2023 |title=The suspected Chinese spy balloon was as tall as a 20-story building and weighed thousands of pounds |url=https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2023/2/8/23591017/chinese-spy-balloon-size-200-ft-weight |access-date=February 10, 2023 |website=[[Deseret News]] |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210083646/https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2023/2/8/23591017/chinese-spy-balloon-size-200-ft-weight |url-status=live }}</ref> AI startup [[Synthetaic]], using image data from [[Planet Labs]] spacecraft, reported the balloon's diameter as {{Convert|148|ft|m}}.<ref name="SpaceNews">{{Cite news |last=Erwin |first=Sandra |date=2023-02-17 |title=AI startup using satellite imagery to trace the path of Chinese balloon |url=https://spacenews.com/ai-startup-using-satellite-imagery-to-trace-the-path-of-chinese-balloon/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=[[SpaceNews]] |language=en-US}}</ref> [[USNORTHCOM]] and [[NORAD]] Commander, General Glen VanHerck, estimated the payload weighed more than {{convert|2000|lbs}}.<ref name="vanherck6feb2"/>

The Chinese balloon was a [[superpressure balloon]] similar to earlier [[NASA]] designs,<ref name="NY_Times_3-20">{{Cite news |last=Xiao |first=Muyi |date=2023-03-20 |title=Tracking the Chinese Balloon From Space |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/03/20/science/chinese-space-balloon-incident.html?unlocked_article_code=HKb4V58O5r1KQ-rZsTYomITAdOKfJjDlkrXhY-ZJALDk4FneVn7FIfoSM9Lk3sbQhCf2iF5kHZnpmwXIS1Q37HqePyfT4UaKA-dlrmu7FnXfUN04yHG5U_HIqISOnZHGEABLxjFT0Bew9nVubC-sFuRaSSQZhqQDnJRkVmXEc-6Ip2O3UH5yXRDonuXS8QLeiuDh9WEq-ARtgpFqpMLvI0cUF8dKlDCRsuLiHfC_sAFDMl7UzPOKtXikkNUCoyG8BgrZe8MO7lal1X1_od4EZjXZVnzVhVemlWPm5lZBevIDGSulZCeJ2vuXdvUAImgC3E4I690LB51-0nGlfp0qWnLwNRVv9yKTGMKhIitCSU3yMrJP3ulRTks |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=[[New York Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref> where the volume of the balloon is kept relatively constant in the face of changes in ambient pressure outside the balloon, and the temperature of the contained [[lifting gas]]. This allows better altitude control and much longer endurance compared to the more common [[Variable air volume|variable-volume]] balloon design.

[[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]] spokesman Admiral [[John Kirby (admiral)|John Kirby]] said the craft had a propeller and could be maneuvered.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Spoehel |first1=Jay |date=February 3, 2023 |title=China spy flight: What to know |publisher=[[Fox Business]] |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/montana-china-spy-balloon |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207093918/https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/montana-china-spy-balloon |archive-date=February 7, 2023}}</ref> U.S. officials told foreign diplomats in Beijing that the craft had [[rudder]]s and propellers.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 9, 2023 |title=US: Chinese Balloon Is part of Large Spying Program |work=[[Voice of America]] |url=https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/us-chinese-balloon-is-part-of-large-spying-program/6953672.html |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209002215/https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/us-chinese-balloon-is-part-of-large-spying-program/6953672.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A [[Chinese Foreign Ministry]] spokesperson said it had "limited self-steering capability".<ref>{{cite web |date=February 4, 2023 |title=Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Remarks on US Announcement of the Postponement of Secretary of State Blinken's Visit to China |url=https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2535_665405/202302/t20230204_11019704.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207010823/https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2535_665405/202302/t20230204_11019704.html |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China]]}}</ref>

The [[U.S. Department of Defense]] said the balloon did not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground while it remained in the air, and that shooting it down over water would be safer and increased the opportunity to study the wreckage for intelligence purposes.<ref name="TimeFeb32">{{cite magazine |last1=Mansoor |first1=Sanya |date=February 3, 2023 |title=The Alleged Chinese Spy Balloon Is Now Over Missouri. Here's What We Know About Its Path |url=https://time.com/6252953/chinese-spy-balloon-path/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204050633/https://time.com/6252953/chinese-spy-balloon-path/ |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref name="thedrive/more-complicated">{{cite news |last1=Helfrich |first1=Emma |last2=Trevithick |first2=Joseph |last3=Rogowa |first3=Tyler |title=Why Shooting Down China's Spy Balloon Over The U.S. Is More Complicated Than It Seems |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/why-shooting-down-chinas-spy-balloon-over-the-u-s-is-more-complicated-than-it-seems |access-date=February 6, 2023 |work=The Drive |date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204225038/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/why-shooting-down-chinas-spy-balloon-over-the-u-s-is-more-complicated-than-it-seems |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Pentagon/off-camera-on-background">{{cite web |date=February 4, 2023 |title=Senior Defense Official and Senior Military Official Hold an Off-Camera, On-Background Press Briefing Update on the High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3288618/senior-defense-official-and-senior-military-official-hold-an-off-camera-on-back/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205230632/https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3288618/senior-defense-official-and-senior-military-official-hold-an-off-camera-on-back/ |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |publisher=[[U.S. Department of Defense]]}}</ref>

Citing a PLA procurement portal, a U.S. official said that the balloon was manufactured by a civilian Chinese defense contractor.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Matthew |last2=Tucker |first2=Eric |date=February 9, 2023 |title=US says Chinese military behind vast aerial spy program |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc |url-status=live |access-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209150130/https://apnews.com/article/chinese-balloon-military-involvement-e45c759cb00294e83989fa35970935bc |archive-date=February 9, 2023}}</ref>

====Signals intelligence capabilities====
{{Further|Signals intelligence}}
Experts noted that [[weather balloons]] typically are about {{convert|20|feet|0}} wide, less than a quarter of the balloon's diameter.<ref name="scientificamerican/chinese-balloon-maneuverability">{{cite news |last=Bushwick |first=Sophie |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Chinese Spy Balloon Has Unexpected Maneuverability |work=[[Scientific American]] |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chinese-spy-balloon-has-unexpected-maneuverability/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206230959/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chinese-spy-balloon-has-unexpected-maneuverability/ |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |quote=This maneuverability is beyond the capabilities of most high-altitude balloons, says John Villasenor, director of the Institute for Technology, Law and Policy and a professor of electrical engineering, law, public policy and management at the University of California, Los Angeles.}}</ref><ref name="time/6253002" /> Those interviewed by [[BBC News]] said it was unusual for weather balloons to last as long as the one involved in the incident and that the balloon "might have been more sophisticated than China claims".<ref name="bbc.com">{{cite news |date=February 3, 2023 |title=China balloon: Could it have been blown off course as Beijing claims? |language=en-GB |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64514120 |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204083949/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64514120 |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref>

Images from U-2 flybys and forensic analysis of the payload showed [[Antenna (radio)|antennas]] that likely were used for collecting and transmitting [[signals intelligence]].<ref>{{cite news |last2=Gordon |first1=Vivian |last1=Salama |first2=Michael R. |title=Chinese Balloon Carried Antennas, Other Equipment to Gather Intelligence, U.S. Says |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-balloon-carried-antennas-other-equipment-to-gather-intelligence-u-s-says-11675953033 |date=February 9, 2023 |access-date=February 9, 2023 |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |language=en-US |url-access=subscription |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209150223/https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-balloon-carried-antennas-other-equipment-to-gather-intelligence-u-s-says-11675953033 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/chinese-spy-balloon-carried-multiple-antennas-collecting-signals-intel-rcna69898 |title=Chinese spy balloon carried 'multiple antennas' for collecting signals intelligence, State Dept. says |first=Abigail |last=Williams |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=February 9, 2023 |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209154757/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/chinese-spy-balloon-carried-multiple-antennas-collecting-signals-intel-rcna69898 |url-status=live }}</ref> A publicly released U.S. State Department document, after the balloon was downed and debris collected, said that the balloon's solar arrays produced sufficient power to operate "multiple active intelligence collection sensors" and that the antennas on the balloon could collect and [[Geolocation|geolocate]] communications, including radio and [[mobile phone signal]]s, but it was unknown if any specific devices were targets.<ref name="nytimes/2023/02/09/china-balloon-program3"/> Former U.S. Air Force Lt. General [[Charles L. Moore|Charles "Tuna" Moore]] said that the surveillance technology aboard was inconsistent with meteorological missions and hypothesized that the Chinese would be interested in finding vulnerabilities and "building a picture of our radar, weapon system and communication capabilities".<ref name="washingtonpost/2023/02/09/chinese-balloon-program2"/>

U.S. authorities did not name the manufacturer of the balloon but said with [[Analytic confidence|high confidence]] that the entity has "direct commercial ties" to the [[People's Liberation Army]]. They cited this as an example of [[military-civil fusion]], where China encourages competition from and technology exchange with its private sector.<ref name="nytimes/2023/02/09/china-balloon-program3"/>

=== Detection ===
[[File:Chinese balloon over Billings, MT-1 February 2023.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The balloon photographed over Billings, Montana, on February&nbsp;1<ref name="youtube=5h1LFJ2HUgE">{{cite AV media|last=Doak |first=Chase |title=I thought it was a UFO. Turns out, it was a Chinese spy balloon.|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h1LFJ2HUgE |via=[[YouTube]] |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207034534/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h1LFJ2HUgE&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dailymontanan/billings-before">{{cite news |last=Szpaller |first=Keila |title=Billings photojournalists recall seeing balloon before it was identified, shot down |url=https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/billings-photojournalists-recall-seeing-balloon-before-it-was-identified-shot-down/ |access-date=February 7, 2023 |work=[[Daily Montanan]] |date=February 6, 2023 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207034606/https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/billings-photojournalists-recall-seeing-balloon-before-it-was-identified-shot-down/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Reuters-UFO" />]]
[[File:Pentagon Press Secretary Holds Briefing February 3 2023 DOD 109438378-1920x1080-9000k.webmhd.webm|thumb|right|200px|start=03:18|thumbtime=03:18|Defense Department Briefing, February 3, 2023]]

High-altitude balloons are extremely difficult to detect. A 2005 study by the U.S. Air Force's [[Air University (United States Air Force)|Air University]] states surveillance balloons often present very small [[radar cross-section]]s, "on the order of hundredths of a square meter, about the same as a small bird", and essentially no [[infrared signature]], which complicates the use of [[anti-aircraft weapons]].<ref name="thedrive/more-complicated"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Tomme |first=Lt. Col. Edward B. |year=2005 |title=The Paradigm Shift to Effects-Based Space: Near-Space as a Combat Space Effects Enabler |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA434352.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203193620/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA434352.pdf |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |access-date=February 6, 2023 |publisher=College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education, [[Air University (United States Air Force)|Air University]]}}</ref> A 2009 research paper by a USAF officer stated that balloons "are inherently stealthy" due to a tiny infrared signature at high altitude (as the balloon possesses no engines) and because of the difficulty of radar detection (as the balloons lack sharp edges and metal structures).<ref>{{cite news |last=Phillips |first=Aleks |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Shooting down Chinese spy balloon a lot harder than it seems |url=https://www.newsweek.com/chinese-spy-balloon-hard-shoot-down-crash-landing-1778839 |access-date=February 10, 2023 |website=[[Newsweek]] |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210083150/https://www.newsweek.com/chinese-spy-balloon-hard-shoot-down-crash-landing-1778839 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The balloon's first reported sighting was on February 1, 2023, when civilians on a commercial airliner spotted it.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=February 2, 2023 |title=Chinese Spy Balloon Tracked Over U.S. This Week |language=en-US |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-spy-balloon-seen-over-u-s-this-weekofficials-11675376397 |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210054610/https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-spy-balloon-seen-over-u-s-this-weekofficials-11675376397 |url-status=live }}</ref> On the same day, former ''[[Billings Gazette]]'' editor Chase Doak<ref name="gazette" /> spotted the object above [[Billings, Montana]], after seeing reports that the airspace around Billings was closed. He had initially assumed it was a star or a [[unidentified flying object|UFO]].<ref name="Reuters-UFO">{{cite news |last=Nur-Azna |first=Sanusi |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Spy balloon witness thought it might have been a star or UFO |publisher=[[Reuters]] |url=https://reuters.com/world/us/spy-balloon-witness-thought-it-might-have-been-star-or-ufo-2023-02-03 |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204175618/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/spy-balloon-witness-thought-it-might-have-been-star-or-ufo-2023-02-03/ |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref> Doak contacted his friend and ''Billings Gazette'' photographer Larry Mayer,<ref name="Szpaller">{{cite news |last=Szpaller |first=Keila |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Billings photojournalists recall seeing balloon before it was identified, shot down |work=[[Daily Montanan]] |url=https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/billings-photojournalists-recall-seeing-balloon-before-it-was-identified-shot-down |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207034606/https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/billings-photojournalists-recall-seeing-balloon-before-it-was-identified-shot-down/ |archive-date=February 7, 2023}}</ref> and the two photographed the balloon using [[telephoto lens]]es. Mayer also sent the images to various government agencies.<ref name="Szpaller" /> After the photographs were published in the ''Billings Gazette'' and received widespread media coverage, the U.S. Department of Defense and the [[Canadian Department of National Defence]] announced on February 2 that NORAD was aware of a high-altitude surveillance balloon believed to belong to China and had been tracking it for "several" days.<ref name="NBCFeb23">{{cite news |last1=Kube |first1=Courtney |last2=Lee |first2=Carol E. |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Suspected Chinese spy balloon found over northern U.S. |publisher=[[NBC News]] |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/suspected-chinese-spy-balloon-found-northern-us-military-installations-rcna68879 |url-status=live |access-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202235722/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/suspected-chinese-spy-balloon-found-northern-us-military-installations-rcna68879 |archive-date=February 2, 2023}}</ref><ref name="NYTimesFeb2">{{cite news |last=Cooper |first=Helene |author-link=Helene Cooper |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Pentagon Says It Detected a Chinese Spy Balloon Hovering Over Montana |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/us/politics/china-spy-balloon-pentagon.html |url-access=limited |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204165824/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/us/politics/china-spy-balloon-pentagon.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The balloon was flying at an altitude of {{convert|60000|ft|m}} over Billings at the time.<ref name="TimeFeb32" />

American defense officials considered shooting the balloon down but initially decided not to due to the risk of debris injuring civilians on the ground.<ref name="GuardFeb23">{{cite news |last=Borger |first=Julian |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Pentagon says it is monitoring Chinese spy balloon spotted flying over US |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/02/pentagon-chinese-spy-balloon |url-status=live |access-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203000832/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/02/pentagon-chinese-spy-balloon |archive-date=February 3, 2023}}</ref> A meeting was convened between Secretary of Defense Austin, [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] General [[Mark Milley]], NORTHCOM/NORAD Commander General VanHerck, and other military commanders.<ref name="NBCFeb23" /> Biden was advised by officials not to shoot it down because debris could threaten civilians or cause property damage.<ref name="NBCFeb23" />

=== Flight path ===
[[File:2023 Chinese Balloon route.svg|thumb|alt=A map of the world, showing a snaking line from the middle of China, across the Pacific Ocean, through Alaska and Canada, and into the northwestern United States|Approximate route of the balloon<ref name="bbc/64514120">* {{cite news |last1=Palumbo |first1=Daniele |last2=Howells |first2=Jeremy |last3=Rivault |first3=Erwan |date=February 3, 2023 |title=China balloon: Could it have been blown off course as Beijing claims? |language=en-GB |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64514120 |url-status=live |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204083949/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64514120 |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}<br />* {{cite news |last=Petras |first=George |date=February 3, 2023 |title=US tracked suspected Chinese spy balloon for 5 days before shooting it down over the Atlantic |website=[[USA Today]] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2023/02/03/china-spy-balloon-path/11174459002/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207213203/https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2023/02/03/china-spy-balloon-path/11174459002/?gnt-cfr=1 |archive-date=February 7, 2023}}</ref>]]

According to U.S. intelligence and retrospective analysis of satellite images, the balloon was tracked near [[Hainan]] island of China as early as January 15.<ref name=":6" /><ref name="NY_Times_3-20" />{{Efn|Reports of its detection near Hainan came out after the balloon was shot down.<ref>{{cite news |title=Downed Chinese balloon aimed for Hawaii but was blown off course - U.S. official |date=February 16, 2023 |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/downed-chinese-balloon-aimed-hawaii-was-blown-off-course-us-official-2023-02-15/ |work=Reuters}}</ref>}} It was able to change its altitude before entering the Pacific Ocean, where officials believe it was blown off-course. Retired NASA engineer Rodger Farley told the ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' that winter winds may vary too little in direction to allow for course corrections.<ref name="NY_Times_3-20" />

The balloon entered U.S. airspace above the [[Aleutian Islands]] on January 28, 2023, then moved across Alaska, and entered Canadian airspace over the [[Yukon]] and [[Northwest Territories]] on January 30, 2023.<ref name="apnews/Miller/downs-balloon2" /> After flying southeast over [[British Columbia]], the balloon re-entered the U.S. in [[northern Idaho]] on January 31 and [[Montana]] on February 1,<ref name="apnews/Miller/downs-balloon2" /> where it was spotted over Billings.<ref name="NYTimesFeb2" /><ref name="TimeFeb32" /> Montana is the location of multiple [[intercontinental ballistic missile]] installations, such as [[Malmstrom Air Force Base]], causing suspicion that the balloon had been launched to surveil said nuclear installations.<ref name="NYTimesFeb2" /> The U.S. ground-based intercontinental nuclear arsenal is composed of about 400 [[LGM-30 Minuteman]] III missiles deployed around Malmstrom AFB in Montana, [[Minot Air Force Base|Minot AFB]] in North Dakota, and [[Francis E. Warren Air Force Base|Francis E. Warren AFB]] in Wyoming.<ref name="2009_Norris">{{cite journal |last1=Norris |first1=Robert S. |last2=Kristensen |first2=Hans M. |author-link2=Hans M. Kristensen |date=November 27, 2015 |title=U.S. Nuclear Forces, 2009 |journal=[[Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists]] |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |volume=65 |issue=2 |pages=59–69 |doi=10.2968/065002008 |issn=0096-3402 |eissn=1938-3282 |lccn=48034039 |oclc=470268256 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Meteorologist Dan Satterfield calculated a possible trajectory along this path using the [[HYSPLIT]] atmospheric model, consistent with data on prevailing [[westerlies]] from China to Montana.<ref name="bbc/64514120" /> The balloon was spotted above northwest [[Missouri]], near [[Kansas City]], on February 3, and subsequently passed near [[Whiteman Air Force Base]], which houses nuclear-capable [[Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit]]s.<ref name="TimeFeb32" />

According to some U.S. officials, China attempted to speed up the balloon, after its presence became known to the public, in order for it to exit U.S. airspace more quickly.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last1=Kube |first1=Courtney |last2=Lee |first2=Carol E. |date=2023-04-03 |title=Chinese balloon got intel from U.S. military sites, despite efforts to block it |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/china-spy-balloon-collected-intelligence-us-military-bases-rcna77155 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403105346/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/china-spy-balloon-collected-intelligence-us-military-bases-rcna77155 |archive-date=2023-04-03 |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> Other officials reported that the balloon loitered near sensitive military sites and made multiple passes under control.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">{{Cite news |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Suspected Chinese spy balloon sightings reported across U.S. as Pentagon tracks it |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/03/chinese-spy-balloon/ |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204210259/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/03/chinese-spy-balloon/ |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref> Experts interviewed by ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' said that the balloon traveled much farther than a typical weather balloon would and Chinese officials should not be surprised that it would eventually reach the [[contiguous United States]] or be detected.<ref name="time/6253002" /> The balloon flew at an altitude of {{convert|60000|ft|m}}. In comparison, business jets can reach {{convert|51000|ft|m}}, [[commercial airliner]]s can reach {{convert|45000|ft|m}}, and the [[SR-71]] (a now-retired American surveillance plane) had reached {{convert|90000|ft|m}}.<ref name="usatoday/102185856/">{{cite news |last1=Cox |first1=John |title=Ask the Captain: Highest altitudes for planes |work=[[USA Today]] |date=May 30, 2017 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/cox/2017/05/28/altitude/102185856/ |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207001628/https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/cox/2017/05/28/altitude/102185856/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== U.S. monitoring and counterintelligence ===
[[File:U-2 Pilot over Central Continental United States (7644960).jpg|thumb|right|A U.S. Air Force U-2 pilot takes a picture somewhere over the Central Continental U.S.; the balloon is in the background]]
During the incident, a U.S. defense official stated that the balloon had "limited additive value from an intelligence collection perspective". Nonetheless, the Pentagon took steps to protect its assets from leaking sensitive information to the balloon.<ref name="defensenews">{{cite news |title=Why stratospheric balloons are used in era of space-based intelligence |work=[[Defense News]] |url=https://www.defensenews.com/battlefield-tech/space/2023/02/06/how-stratospheric-balloons-could-complement-space-based-intelligence |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20230206173408/https://www.defensenews.com/battlefield-tech/space/2023/02/06/how-stratospheric-balloons-could-complement-space-based-intelligence/ |url-status=live}}</ref> U.S. Secretary of Defense [[Lloyd Austin]] said the U.S. military was able to collect valuable intelligence on the balloon while it was transiting North America.<ref name="TimeFeb3" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Lawder |first=David |date=February 5, 2023 |title=Republicans criticize Biden for waiting to shoot down Chinese balloon |publisher=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republicans-criticize-biden-waiting-shoot-down-chinese-balloon-2023-02-05 |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205232618/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republicans-criticize-biden-waiting-shoot-down-chinese-balloon-2023-02-05/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Air Force General [[Glen VanHerck]] said that the U.S. Department of Defense obtained special authorization to collect intelligence against the balloon within the U.S.<ref name="thedrive/u-2-snooped2"/>

Two [[Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor|F-22 Raptors]] were scrambled from [[Nellis Air Force Base]] after the balloon was spotted on February 1.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gordon |first=Chris |date=2023-02-03 |title=F-22s Scramble from Nellis in Response to Chinese Spy Balloon Over US |url=https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-22s-scramble-from-nellis-in-response-to-chinese-spy-balloon-over-us/ |website=[[Air & Space Forces Magazine]]}}</ref> It was also monitored by crewed aircraft deployed by NORAD, including a [[Boeing E-3 Sentry]] Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS), a [[RC-135|Boeing RC-135]] reconnaissance aircraft,<ref name="GuardFeb23" /> a [[Lockheed U-2|U-2S Dragon Lady]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cameron |first=Doug |date=9 February 2023 |title=U-2, Cold War Flashpoint, Comes Out of the Shadows for Chinese Balloon |language=en-US |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-2-cold-war-flashpoint-comes-out-of-the-shadows-for-chinese-balloon-11675968824 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref> and another F-22 Raptor from [[Langley Air Force Base]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Helene |author-link1=Helene Cooper |last2=Wong |first2=Edward |author-link2=Edward Wong |date=February 4, 2023 |title=U.S. Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off the Coast of the Carolinas |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/02/04/us/china-spy-balloon |access-date=February 4, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204202146/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/02/04/us/china-spy-balloon |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref> The U.S. Department of Defense said that, during the balloon's overflight of the United States, it had blocked the balloon from gathering intelligence and was able to study the balloon and its equipment.<ref name="Pentagon/off-camera-on-background" /><ref name="nymag">{{cite news |last1=Danner |first1=Chas |date=February 5, 2023 |title=Did China's Alleged Spy Balloon Mission Backfire? Updates |language=en-US |work=[[Intelligencer (website)|Intelligencer]] |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/02/what-is-up-with-this-chinese-spy-balloon.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205232649/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/02/what-is-up-with-this-chinese-spy-balloon.html |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Officials told [[CNN]] that the U.S. was able to track and monitor the balloon by its signals, but it seemed to stop transmitting after the U.S. learned about its presence.<ref name="cnn-track-method">{{cite news |last=Bertrand |first=Natasha |date=February 10, 2023 |title=Exclusive: US developed method to track China's spy balloon fleet within last year, sources say |language=en-US |work=[[CNN]] |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/10/politics/us-balloon-tracking-method/index.html |access-date=February 21, 2023}}</ref>

A U.S. government official said that at least two [[U-2S]] reconnaissance aircraft were used to gather data about the balloon while it was over the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]], though it was not clear at which points in the balloon's flight it was tracked by U-2S aircraft.<ref name="thedrive/u-2-snooped2"/> ''[[The War Zone]]'' commented that the U-2S's high flight ceiling, exceeding {{convert|70000|ft|m}}, allowed it to observe the balloon from within relatively close proximity (including from above), and its [[electronic warfare]] suite allowed the aircraft to potentially jam or monitor any radio emissions from the balloon, such as data transmissions directed upwards towards Chinese communications satellites.<ref name="thedrive/u-2-snooped2"/>

In early April, unnamed U.S. officials told [[NBC]] that the balloon was able to gather electronic intelligence from the military sites it overflew and transmit it back to China.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wendling |first=Mike |date=2023-04-03 |title=Spy balloon sent data to China in real time - report |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65169855 |access-date=2023-04-04}}</ref> The U.S. Department of Defense could not confirm the report and reiterated that any information gathered would have "limited additive value".<ref name=":7" />

=== Downing ===
[[File:Chinese balloon fall.webm|thumb|Video of the balloon falling after being shot]]
On February 4, the balloon had drifted over the [[Carolinas]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Moore |first=Stephanie |title=Pictures: 'Chinese Spy Balloon' spotted over South Carolina, North Carolina |publisher=[[WYFF]] |url=https://www.wyff4.com/article/south-carolina-china-balloon-pictures/42764367 |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205171748/https://www.wyff4.com/article/south-carolina-china-balloon-pictures/42764367 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Federal Aviation Administration]] closed airspace over the area in one of the largest [[Federal Aviation Regulations#Temporary flight restrictions|temporary flight restrictions]] in U.S. history, "more than five times [[Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Special Flight Rules Area|the restricted airspace surrounding Washington, D.C.]], and nearly double the area of the state of [[Massachusetts]]".<ref name="Largest TFRs">{{cite news |last1=Liptak |first1=Kevin |last2=Mattingly |first2=Phil |last3=Bertrand |first3=Natasha |author-link3=Natasha Bertrand |last4=Muntean |first4=Pete |last5=Liebermann |first5=Oren |date=February 5, 2023 |title=Inside Biden's decision to 'take care of' the Chinese spy balloon that triggered a diplomatic crisis |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/04/politics/china-spy-balloon-tick-tock/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206004130/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/04/politics/china-spy-balloon-tick-tock/index.html |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref> A ground stop was ordered on the coast at [[Myrtle Beach International Airport]] and [[Charleston International Airport]] in South Carolina, and [[Wilmington International Airport]] in North Carolina.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stanton |first=Andrew |date=February 4, 2023 |title=Chinese Spy Balloon Shot Down Over Atlantic |work=[[Newsweek]] |url=https://www.newsweek.com/airspace-closed-biden-reportedly-considering-downing-chinese-balloon-1778997 |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205003241/https://www.newsweek.com/airspace-closed-biden-reportedly-considering-downing-chinese-balloon-1778997 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Accettulla |first1=Kevin |title=Ground stop issued at Myrtle Beach International Airport due to suspected Chinese spy balloon |publisher=[[WBTW]] |url=https://www.wbtw.com/news/grand-strand/myrtle-beach/ground-stop-issued-at-myrtle-beach-international-airport-due-to-suspected-chinese-spy-balloon/ |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204202132/https://www.wbtw.com/news/grand-strand/myrtle-beach/ground-stop-issued-at-myrtle-beach-international-airport-due-to-suspected-chinese-spy-balloon/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ground stop issued along Carolina coast after unconfirmed sightings of Chinese spy balloon |publisher=[[WCNC-TV]] |url=https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/unconfirmed-sightings-of-chinese-spy-balloon-over-the-carolinas/275-46e49300-9a7c-4f0d-91ed-21df19ce7a00 |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204202139/https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/unconfirmed-sightings-of-chinese-spy-balloon-over-the-carolinas/275-46e49300-9a7c-4f0d-91ed-21df19ce7a00 |url-status=live}}</ref> Military aircraft were reported to be over the Carolinas.<ref>{{cite news |last=Morris |first=Kyle |title=Where is the Chinese spy balloon now? Airship spotted flying over North Carolina |publisher=[[Fox News]] |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/where-is-chinese-spy-balloon-now-airship-spotted-flying-north-carolina |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204175417/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/where-is-chinese-spy-balloon-now-airship-spotted-flying-north-carolina |url-status=live}}</ref> U.S. officials later stated that this was in preparation for the eventual downing of the balloon within American [[territorial waters]] over the [[Atlantic Ocean]].<ref name="apnews/Miller/downs-balloon2"/>

The balloon was shot down over U.S. territorial waters off the coast of [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]], by an [[AIM-9 Sidewinder|AIM-9X Sidewinder]] missile fired from a [[U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor]] that had departed from [[Langley Air Force Base]]; the downing occurred at 2:39&nbsp;p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|eastern time]].<ref name="Baldor">{{cite news |last1=Baldor |first1=Lolita C. |last2=Copp |first2=Tara |title=China balloon: Many questions about suspected spy in the sky |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53 |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date=February 4, 2023 |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209010911/https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="2023-02-04 USDOD">{{cite web |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3288543/f-22-safely-shoots-down-chinese-spy-balloon-off-south-carolina-coast/ |title=F-22 Safely Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off South Carolina Coast |last=Garamone |first=Jim |date=February 4, 2023 |publisher=[[United States Department of Defense]] |access-date=February 12, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211012305/https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3288543/f-22-safely-shoots-down-chinese-spy-balloon-off-south-carolina-coast/ |archive-date=February 11, 2023 |quote=A U.S. Air Force fighter safely shot down a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a written statement.}}</ref><ref name="Hill">{{cite news |last1=Hill |first1=Randall |last2=Stewart |first2=Phil |last3=Mason |first3=Jeff |date=February 4, 2023 |title=U.S. fighter jet shoots down suspected Chinese spy balloon |language=en-US |publisher=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-says-us-is-going-take-care-of-chinese-balloon-2023-02-04/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204224852/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-says-us-is-going-take-care-of-chinese-balloon-2023-02-04/ |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Martinez |first1=Luis |last2=Cathey |first2=Libby |date=7 Feb 2023 |title=Navy releases close-up photos of Chinese surveillance balloon recovery |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/navy-releases-close-photos-chinese-surveillance-balloon-recovery/story?id=96950346 |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> The F-22 fired the missile at an altitude of {{convert|58000|ft}}, which struck the balloon at an altitude of {{convert|60000-65000|ft|km|abbr=out}}. The balloon splashed down within U.S. territorial waters {{convert|6|nmi|km|abbr=out}} off the coastline, where the water was {{convert|47|ft|m}} deep. The downing was the first recorded by an F-22 aircraft, the first of an aircraft over U.S. territory since [[World War II]], and is speculated to be the highest altitude air-to-air kill in recorded history.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Altman |first1=Howard |author1-link=Howard Altman |last2=Payne |first2=Stetson |last3=Rogoway |first3=Tyler |date=February 4, 2023 |title=F-22 Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off Carolinas With Missile (Updated) |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/f-22-shoots-down-chinese-spy-balloon-off-carolinas-with-missile |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=The Drive |language=en-US |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205011430/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/f-22-shoots-down-chinese-spy-balloon-off-carolinas-with-missile |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Debris recovery ===
[[File:Chinese Balloon Envelope Recovery.jpg|thumb|Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recover a portion of the balloon from the Atlantic.]]

Debris from the balloon was dispersed over an area of {{convert|2.25|km2|sqmi}},<ref>{{cite news |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Rough seas complicate US efforts to recover suspected China spy balloon |first=Ellen |last=Mitchell |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3846090-rough-seas-complicate-us-efforts-to-recover-suspected-china-spy-balloon/ |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207001046/https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3846090-rough-seas-complicate-us-efforts-to-recover-suspected-china-spy-balloon/ |url-status=live}}</ref> where the ocean was about {{convert|47|ft}} deep.<ref name="APFeb42">{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Andrew |date=February 4, 2023 |title=Pentagon reveals details on how Chinese spy balloon was taken down with single shot |language=en-US |publisher=[[Fox News]] |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pentagon-reveals-details-chinese-spy-balloon-taken-single-shot |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204225750/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pentagon-reveals-details-chinese-spy-balloon-taken-single-shot |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Pentagon/off-camera-on-background"/> A pair of [[F-15C]]s from [[Barnes Air National Guard Base]]<ref name="2023-02-04 USDOD" /> used [[Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod|Sniper targeting pods]] to record the downing and locations of falling debris.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Rogoway |first1=Tyler |last2=Altman |first2=Howard |date=February 6, 2023 |title=The Shooting Down Of China's Spy Balloon In Moment-By-Moment Audio |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/the-operation-to-down-chinas-spy-balloon-in-moment-by-moment-audio |access-date= |website=The Drive |language=en}}</ref> VanHerck said the [[United States Navy]] was conducting recovery operations while the [[United States Coast Guard|U.S. Coast Guard]] was securing the region where the debris fell.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 6, 2023 |title=US Navy working to recover debris from Chinese 'spy balloon' |publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/6/us-navy-working-to-recover-debris-from-chinese-spy-balloon |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206013847/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/6/us-navy-working-to-recover-debris-from-chinese-spy-balloon |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref> [[Guided-missile destroyer]] {{USS|Oscar Austin|DDG-79|6}}, [[Guided Missile Cruiser|guided-missile cruiser]] {{USS|Philippine Sea|CG-58|6}}, and [[dock landing ship]] {{USS|Carter Hall|LSD-50|6}} were tasked with retrieving the balloon wreckage, alongside Coast Guard [[United States Coast Guard Cutter|cutters]] and [[Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk|helicopters]], [[Navy diver (United States Navy)|U.S. Navy divers]], and [[FBI Counterintelligence Division|FBI counterintelligence]] agents.<ref name="usni/2023/02/04/hunting-wreckage">{{cite news |last=LaGrone |first=Sam |date=February 4, 2023 |title=3 Navy Warships, FBI Now Hunting for Wreckage of Chinese Spy Balloon off South Carolina |language=en-US |website=[[USNI News]] |publisher=[[United States Naval Institute]] |url=https://news.usni.org/2023/02/04/3-navy-warships-fbi-now-hunting-for-wreckage-of-chinese-spy-balloon-off-south-carolina |url-status=live |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204225042/https://news.usni.org/2023/02/04/3-navy-warships-fbi-now-hunting-for-wreckage-of-chinese-spy-balloon-off-south-carolina |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down off South Carolina coast |language=en-US |publisher=[[CBS News]] |date=February 5, 2023 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chinese-spy-balloon-shot-down-off-carolina-coast/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204200559/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chinese-spy-balloon-shot-down-off-carolina-coast/ |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Vergun |first=David |date=February 6, 2023 |title=U.S. Navy Collecting Surveillance Balloon Debris |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3290090/us-navy-collecting-surveillance-balloon-debris/ |access-date=February 8, 2023 |publisher=[[U.S. Department of Defense]] |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208012709/https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3290090/us-navy-collecting-surveillance-balloon-debris/ |url-status=live }}</ref> General VanHerck stated that [[unmanned underwater vehicle]]s controlled from [[rigid inflatable boat]]s used [[side-scan sonar]] to locate the sunken debris. The unmanned submersibles analyzed the wreckage to identify potential threats to recovery divers, such as explosives or batteries with hazardous materials.<ref name="vanherck6feb2"/>

[[File:FBI processing Chinese balloon debris.jpg|thumb|FBI Special Agents assigned to the Evidence Response Team process material recovered from the balloon.<ref name="fbi9feb">{{cite news |title=Chinese High-Altitude Balloon Recovery |url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/chinese-high-altitude-balloon-recovery |access-date=February 10, 2023 |publisher=[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] |date=February 9, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210000832/https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/chinese-high-altitude-balloon-recovery |url-status=live}}</ref>]]

On February 6, some of the downed payload was sent to the [[FBI Laboratory]] in [[Quantico, Virginia]], for [[Digital forensics|forensic analysis]] by the Bureau's Operational Technology Division.<ref name="kirbyplans" /><ref name="cnn8feb" /> Possible balloon debris was spotted later on the South Carolina coast, where police were asking residents to report other sightings.<ref name="recovered">{{cite news |last1=Norman |first1=Greg |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Here is where US is taking remains of China spy flight |publisher=[[Fox News]] |url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-taking-remains-china-spy-flight |url-status=live |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207053633/https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-taking-remains-china-spy-flight |archive-date=February 7, 2023}}</ref> China said it wanted the wreckage returned,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/china-wants-suspected-spy-balloon-us-shot-down-returned-2023-2 |title=China says it wants its busted balloon back after the US Navy fished the suspected spy craft out of the ocean |first=Natalie |last=Musumeci |work=[[Business Insider]] |date=February 8, 2023 |access-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208153809/https://www.businessinsider.com/china-wants-suspected-spy-balloon-us-shot-down-returned-2023-2 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=February 8, 2023 |title=China Says US Should Return Debris From Balloon It Shot Down |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-08/china-says-us-should-return-debris-from-balloon-it-shot-down |url-access=limited |access-date=February 8, 2023 |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208135225/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-08/china-says-us-should-return-debris-from-balloon-it-shot-down |url-status=live}}</ref> but the U.S. said it had no plans to do so.<ref name="kirbyplans">{{cite news |last1=Sevastopulo |first1=Demetri |date=February 7, 2023 |title=US says it does not plan to return spy balloon debris to China |work=[[Financial Times]] |url=https://www.ft.com/content/bdf29ea5-bfdf-43f6-a845-38788544fdab |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207065347/https://www.ft.com/content/bdf29ea5-bfdf-43f6-a845-38788544fdab |archive-date=February 7, 2023}}</ref>

By February 13, the U.S. had recovered a significant portion of the balloon's payload, including sensors, electronics, and structural sections. The entire payload measured {{convert|30|feet}}, weighed more than {{convert|2000|lbs}} by estimates, and contained all of the craft's equipment and antennas.<ref name="vanherck6feb2" /><ref name="ABCCite">{{cite news |date=February 13, 2023 |title=Significant portion of Chinese balloon spy equipment recovered, US official says |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/significant-portion-chinese-balloon-payload-recovered-us-official/story?id=97086836 |access-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213222231/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/significant-portion-chinese-balloon-payload-recovered-us-official/story?id=97086836 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MatzaSensorsRecovered">{{cite news |date=2023-02-14 |title=Chinese balloon sensors recovered from ocean, says US |language=en-GB |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64633705 |url-status=live |access-date=2023-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214204827/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64633705 |archive-date=February 14, 2023}}</ref> Underwater recovery efforts were suspended on February 14 due to bad weather. On February 17, the U.S. military said that recovery operations have concluded for the balloon after the final debris was located and retrieved.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 17, 2023 |title=Chinese spy balloon recovery operation has concluded |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/17/politics/china-spy-balloon-recovery/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217212252/https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/17/politics/china-spy-balloon-recovery/index.html |archive-date=February 17, 2023}}</ref>

== Legality of airspace and downing ==
The United States asserts sovereignty of the airspace above its territories. Like that of other countries, this right, up to the ill-defined boundary of space, is recognized by the [[Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation]]. Foreign aircraft are generally permitted to transit through U.S. airspace but must follow specific procedures and regulations. Article 8 of the convention states that aircraft flown without pilots must obtain permission from the country below and must be controlled to reduce danger.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Elias |first=Bart |date=2023-02-27 |title=Monitoring the Sovereign Skies |url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN12118 |journal=Insight |publisher=Congressional Research Service |access-date=2023-03-02}}</ref>

Before the revelation by the United States that the balloon was likely blown off course, analysts concluded that shooting it down was legal under U.S. domestic law.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hitchens |first=Theresa |date=7 February 2023 |title=Balloons vs. satellites: Popping some misconceptions about capability and legality |agency=Breaking Defense |url=https://breakingdefense.com/2023/02/balloons-vs-satellites-popping-some-misconceptions-about-capability-and-legality/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rothwell |first=Donald |title=Did China's balloon violate international law? |work=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |agency= |url=https://theconversation.com/did-chinas-balloon-violate-international-law-199271}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=February 17, 2023 |title=It's a Bird! It's a Plane! No, It's a Spy Balloon! The International Law Implications of China's Actions and the United States' Response |url=https://minnjil.org/2023/02/17/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-no-its-a-spy-balloon-the-international-law-implications-of-chinas-actions-and-the-united-states-response/ |journal=[[Minnesota Journal of International Law]]}}</ref> Its destruction under international law is murkier due to potential intervening factors such as ''[[force majeure]]'', but characterizing it as an act of reprisal would help firm up that position.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunlap Jr. |first=Charlie J. |date=2023-02-05 |title=Guest Post: "The Chinese balloon shoot-down incident and the law: some observations" |url=https://sites.duke.edu/lawfire/2023/02/05/guest-post-the-chinese-balloon-shoot-down-incident-and-the-law-some-observations/ |website=Lawfire}}</ref> Although China protested the shootdown, Julian Ku, professor of law at [[Hofstra University]], said that the wording of China's statement reflects that its Ministry of Foreign Affairs "does not believe downing the balloon is a clear legal violation."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Buckley |first=Chris |date=2023-02-05 |title=China Finds Itself With Limited Options After U.S. Shoots Down Balloon |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/05/world/asia/china-balloon-united-states.html |access-date=2023-02-23 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

== Response and reactions ==
=== United States ===
Secretary of State Blinken postponed a scheduled diplomatic trip to China in response, which would have been the first such visit since 2018.<ref name="Lee" /><ref name="wapo2" /><ref name="Hansler" /> The White House did not want to announce the balloon's incursion to protect Blinken's visit, but press and social media interest made Pentagon officials comment.<ref name="gazette">{{cite news |date=February 4, 2023 |title=Gazette's spy balloon photos play role in White House's response to China |work=[[Billings Gazette]] |url=https://billingsgazette.com/news/gazettes-spy-balloon-photos-play-role-in-white-houses-response-to-china/article_b27cc99e-a4b1-11ed-b40a-07864ac915be.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206031919/https://billingsgazette.com/news/gazettes-spy-balloon-photos-play-role-in-white-houses-response-to-china/article_b27cc99e-a4b1-11ed-b40a-07864ac915be.html |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref>

[[File:F-22 Raptor taking off - 2023 Chinese balloon incident (230204-F-PG418-1230).jpg|thumb|F-22 Raptor takes off from [[Joint Base Langley-Eustis]] during the balloon incident.]]

In response to questions regarding the situation, on February 4, Biden said, "We're going to take care of it".<ref name="Take Care">{{Cite news |last1=Hutzler |first1=Alexandra |last2=Cathey |first2=Libby |last3=Deliso |first3=Meredith |last4=Guerilus |first4=Stephanie |date=February 4, 2023 |title=Chinese balloon live updates: 'We're going to take care of it,' Biden says |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/china-spy-balloon/?id=96874279 |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203145011/https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/china-spy-balloon/?id=96874279 |url-status=live}}</ref> Later that day, U.S. officials disclosed that three days earlier he had granted permission to down the balloon.<ref name="apnews/Miller/downs-balloon2"/>

Pentagon officials stated that there was no earlier opportunity to shoot down over water, rebutting Trump and other Republicans who criticized the Biden administration for not shooting down the balloon earlier.<ref name="Pentagon/off-camera-on-background"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Griffiths |first=Brent D. |title=Trump and other Republicans call for the US 'to shoot down' a suspected Chinese spy balloon |language=en-US |website=[[Business Insider]] |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-republicans-call-shoot-down-suspected-chinese-spy-balloon-2023-2 |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205220436/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-republicans-call-shoot-down-suspected-chinese-spy-balloon-2023-2 |archive-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref> Senate Democratic Leader [[Chuck Schumer]] added: "The bottom line here is that shooting down the balloon over water wasn't just the safest option, but it was the one that maximized our intel gain."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lawder |first1=David |last2=Sullivan |first2=Andy |date=February 5, 2023 |title=U.S. military says it is searching for remnants of Chinese spy balloon |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republicans-criticize-biden-waiting-shoot-down-chinese-balloon-2023-02-05/ |url-status=live |location=Washington |publisher=[[Reuters]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207101446/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republicans-criticize-biden-waiting-shoot-down-chinese-balloon-2023-02-05/ |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=February 7, 2023}}</ref>

{{external media
| float  =right
| width  =
|title=External map| image1 =[https://www.google.com/maps/place/18%C2%B056'20.9%22N+110%C2%B028'22.7%22E/@18.939712,110.4738019,418m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x59fb9b0524ce4ad5!8m2!3d18.939149!4d110.472968?hl=en Chinese balloon base in Hainan]<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Satellite Images Reveal Chinese Balloon Bases |date=February 14, 2023 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/china-spy-balloon-satellite-images-military-base-1234679705/ |access-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216173554/https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/china-spy-balloon-satellite-images-military-base-1234679705/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=No cameras allowed near balloon launching pad in China's Hainan island |date=February 18, 2023 |publisher=[[NBC News]] |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/satellites-images-chinese-spy-balloon-site-hainan-rcna70951 |access-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218230846/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/satellites-images-chinese-spy-balloon-site-hainan-rcna70951 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

On February 6, [[U.S. Deputy Secretary of State]] [[Wendy Sherman]] briefed 150 diplomats from about 40 embassies on China's balloon surveillance program,<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 8, 2023 |title=Chinese balloon part of worldwide fleet, US officials say |language=en-GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64572324 |access-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209234217/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64572324 |url-status=live}}</ref> said by U.S. officials to have been operated for several years by the People's Liberation Army from [[Hainan]] on China's south coast, as part of an effort to "[[name and shame]]" Chinese espionage by publicizing it.<ref name="wapo7feb">{{cite news |last1=Nakashima |first1=Ellen |last2=Harris |first2=John |last3=Hudson |first3=Shane |last4=Lamothe |first4=Dan |title=Chinese balloon part of vast aerial surveillance program, U.S. says |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/07/china-spy-balloon-intelligence/ |access-date=February 8, 2023 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=February 7, 2023 |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208170228/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/07/china-spy-balloon-intelligence/ |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> Officials are communicating separately with countries where they say there have been at least two dozen such overflights since 2018, including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines in addition to North and South America.<ref name="wapo7feb" /><ref name="cnn8feb">{{cite news |last1=Lillis |first1=Katie Bo |last2=Herb |first2=Jeremy |last3=Campbell |first3=Josh |last4=Cohen |first4=Zachary |last5=Atwood |first5=Kylie |last6=Bertrand |first6=Natasha |date=February 8, 2023 |title=Spy balloon part of a broader Chinese military surveillance operation, US intel sources say |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/07/politics/spy-balloon/ |access-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208170952/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/07/politics/spy-balloon |url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[United States House Committee on Armed Services|U.S. House Armed Services Committee]] held a February 7 hearing on wide-ranging Chinese military and intelligence threats including the balloon incursions.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wendler |first=Jacob |date=February 7, 2023 |title=House panel warns of China's threat to U.S. after surveillance balloon incident |publisher=[[United Press International]] |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2023/02/07/Armed-Services-China-hearing/1921675797299/ |access-date=February 7, 2023}}</ref> Committee chair Republican [[Mike Rogers (Alabama politician)|Mike Rogers]] characterized the balloon as an intentionally calculated show of force.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Rogers Opening Statement at Hearing on Pressing Threat of CCP to U.S. National Defense |date=Feb 7, 2023 |publisher=[[United States House Committee on Armed Services]] |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://armedservices.house.gov/news/press-releases/rogers-opening-statement-hearing-pressing-threat-ccp-us-national-defense |language=en |last1=Rogers |first1=Mike |author-link1=Mike Rogers (Alabama politician)}}</ref> A U.S. official told ''The Washington Post'' there was no sense that the balloon was a deliberate provocation, as it was part of an ongoing global surveillance program.<ref name="wapo7feb" /> The [[U.S. House of Representatives]] voted 419–0 to adopt a resolution condemning China for the incident.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mascaro |first=Lisa |date=February 9, 2023 |title=US House votes to condemn China over balloon surveillance |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-f56da0416e019a2d32217af5334fc4cb |url-status=live |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209172705/https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-f56da0416e019a2d32217af5334fc4cb |archive-date=February 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{USBill|118|hres|104|which=yes}}</ref>

Trump called reports of intrusions during his administration "fake disinformation";<ref name="InitialIncursions">{{Cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian E. |last2=Cooper |first2=Helene |last3=Wong |first3=Edward |date=February 7, 2023 |title=Previous Chinese Balloon Incursions Initially Went Undetected |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/06/us/politics/china-spy-balloon-trump-administration.html |url-access=limited |access-date=February 10, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209234711/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/06/us/politics/china-spy-balloon-trump-administration.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and his ex-top national security officials said they were unaware of any balloon incursions during their tenure.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Singman |first=Brooke |date=February 5, 2023 |title=Trump, top national security officials refute claim that Chinese spy balloons transited US under last admin |language=en-US |publisher=[[Fox News]] |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-top-national-security-officials-refute-claim-chinese-spy-balloons-transited-us-under-last-admin |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205174324/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-top-national-security-officials-refute-claim-chinese-spy-balloons-transited-us-under-last-admin |url-status=live }}</ref> Biden administration [[National Security Advisor (United States)|National Security Advisor]] [[Jake Sullivan]] said that improved airspace surveillance ordered by Biden after he took office had detected the previous incursions and "enhanced our capacity to be able to detect things that the Trump administration was unable to detect".<ref name="Associated Press">{{cite news|title=White House: Improved surveillance caught Chinese balloon|url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-china-jake-sullivan-d7a981b058d2c195ccc01912d805ae08|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|date=February 6, 2023|first1=Zeke|last1=Miller|first2=Lolita C.|last2=Baldor|first3=Aamer|last3=Madhani|access-date=February 7, 2023|archive-date=February 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207025245/https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-china-jake-sullivan-d7a981b058d2c195ccc01912d805ae08|url-status=live}}</ref>

On February 9, Biden stated that the suspected Chinese spy balloon was "not a major breach", and claimed that the incident was unintentional and that it was embarrassing the Chinese authorities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gangitano |first=Alex |date=2023-02-09 |title=Biden says China spy balloon 'not a major breach' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3852011-biden-says-china-spy-balloon-not-a-major-breach/ |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref>

<Blockquote>"It's not a major breach. Look, the total amount of intelligence gathering that's going on by every country around the world is overwhelming. China has some legitimate difficulties unrelated to the United States. And I think one of the things that balloon caused was not so much that it got shot down, but I don't think the leadership knew where it was, what was in it, and what was going on."-US President Joe Biden<ref>{{Cite web |last=McFadden |first=Christopher |date=2023-06-29 |title=Chinese spy balloon used off-the-shelf US tech |url=https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/chinese-spy-balloon-us-tech |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=interestingengineering.com |language=en-US}}</ref> </blockquote>

On February 10, the U.S. accused six Chinese companies of supporting the country's military and balloon surveillance program and added them to the [[U.S. Commerce Department]] [[Bureau of Industry and Security]]'s [[Entity List]], which places certain restrictions on exports: Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd.; [[China Electronics Technology Group Corporation]] (CETC) 48th Research Institute; Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology Co., Ltd.; Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd. (EMAST); Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology Co., Ltd.; and Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd.<ref>{{cite news |title=US blacklists 6 Chinese entities over balloon program |work= |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-business-cdf319c71f097f7f8ef176b6d7b9526c |url-status=live |access-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216042148/https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-business-cdf319c71f097f7f8ef176b6d7b9526c |archive-date=February 16, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=February 10, 2023 |title=U.S. adds 6 Chinese entities tied to balloon program to export blacklist |publisher=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-add-chinese-entities-tied-balloon-program-export-blacklist-source-2023-02-10/ |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211090734/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-add-chinese-entities-tied-balloon-program-export-blacklist-source-2023-02-10/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=February 14, 2023 |title=Additions to the Entity List |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/14/2023-03193/additions-to-the-entity-list |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=[[Federal Register]] |archive-date=February 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215234255/https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/14/2023-03193/additions-to-the-entity-list |url-status=live}}</ref> Washington did not specifically link any of them to the balloon that it had shot down.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Buckley |first1=Chris |date=February 13, 2023 |title=China's Top Airship Scientist Promoted Program to Watch the World From Above |work=[[The New York Times]] |agency= |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/13/world/asia/china-spy-balloon.html |url-access=limited}}</ref>

On February 14, intelligence officials began to explore the possibility that the balloon had not been intended to penetrate U.S. airspace and transit the continental United States but that Chinese authorities had instead sought to engage in more typical surveillance activities near Guam before the balloon potentially became blown off course. These discussions suggested that the international incident caused by the balloon's cross-continental transit may have been partly the result of an accident.<ref name="WaPo flight accident">{{cite news |date=February 14, 2023 |title=U.S. tracked China spy balloon from launch on Hainan Island along unusual path |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/14/china-spy-balloon-path-tracking-weather/ |url-access=limited |access-date=February 16, 2023 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216125700/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/14/china-spy-balloon-path-tracking-weather/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CNN flight accident">{{cite news |date=15 February 2023 |title=US intel assessing possibility that Chinese spy balloon's path over US was accidental |language=en-US |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/15/politics/us-intel-china-balloon/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=2023-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216173814/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/15/politics/us-intel-china-balloon/index.html |archive-date=February 16, 2023}}</ref>

On February 16, President Biden gave his first formal remarks on the incident saying, "We're not looking for a new Cold War, but I make no apologies, we will compete and we will responsibly manage that competition so that it doesn't veer into conflict." He further directed his team to develop "sharper rules on how to address these unidentified objects in the future so that the government can distinguish between those that are likely to pose safety and security risks that necessitate action and those that do not."<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-speech-spy-balloon-rcna71050|title= Biden's speech on the Spy Balloon|last= Alexander|first= Peter|date= 16 February 2023|publisher=[[NBC News]]|access-date= 16 February 2023|archive-date= February 18, 2023|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230218073447/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-speech-spy-balloon-rcna71050 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In March, senators [[Mark Kelly]] and [[Ted Budd]] introduced legislation to mandate tracking of high-altitude balloons.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shepardson |first=David |date=2023-03-15 |title=U.S. senators to propose legislation to mandate balloon tracking |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senators-propose-legislation-mandate-balloon-tracking-2023-03-15/ |access-date=2023-03-15}}</ref>

At a June fundraising event, Biden compared his Chinese counterpart to a dictator and said that Xi was upset about not knowing the location of the balloon, which carried "two box cars" of spy equipment.<ref>{{cite news |date=21 June 2023 |title=US-China tensions: Biden calls Xi a dictator a day after Beijing talks |language=en |work=[[BBC]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65969802.amp |access-date=22 June 2023 |quote=I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment in it}}</ref>

This incident increased attention on the controversy surrounding Chinese purchases of farmland in the US.<ref name="PAX">{{cite web |date=2023 |title=Balloon incident may hit China's ability to invest in US agriculture |url=https://www.kpax.com/news/u-s-and-the-world/balloon-incident-may-hit-chinas-ability-to-invest-in-us-agriculture |access-date=2023-08-12 |website=[[KPAX News]]}}</ref>

In May 2024, the U.S. Commerce Department added 37 additional units of CETC to the Entity List.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Alper |first=Alexandra |last2=Freifeld |first2=Karen |date=May 9, 2024 |title=Chinese companies hit with US trade restrictions over spy balloon incident |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-administration-adds-37-chinese-entities-trade-restriction-list-2024-05-09/ |access-date=May 9, 2024 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

=== Canada ===
Canadian officials and [[Global Affairs Canada]] summoned the Chinese Ambassador to Canada, [[Cong Peiwu]], to [[Ottawa]] while the [[Department of National Defence (Canada)|Department of National Defence]] announced it was monitoring the situation alongside the United States through NORAD.<ref name="ctvnews.ca"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=D'Andrea |first1=Aaron |last2=Boynton |first2=Sean |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Suspected Chinese surveillance balloon spent time in Canadian airspace: Sources |work=[[Global News]] |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9457135/chinese-spy-balloon-us-airpsace/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203191714/https://globalnews.ca/news/9457135/chinese-spy-balloon-us-airpsace/ |archive-date=February 3, 2023}}</ref> A statement from the [[Canadian Armed Forces]] said there was no threat to Canadians, and Minister of Foreign Affairs [[Mélanie Joly]] would remain in contact with Blinken.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Canadian pilots were warned of 'untethered balloon' amid China surveillance concerns |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9457135/chinese-spy-balloon-us-airpsace/ |access-date=February 3, 2023 |website=[[Global News]] |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203133303/https://globalnews.ca/news/9457135/chinese-spy-balloon-us-airpsace/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== China ===
On February 3, spokesperson of the Chinese [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] [[Mao Ning (diplomat)|Mao Ning]] said: "It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes. Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course."<ref name="Hansler" /> She said China regretted the unintentional incident, citing ''force majeure''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://ijr.com/china-issues-statement-following-reports-balloon/|website=[[Independent Journal Review]]|title=China Issues Statement Following Reports of a Suspected Spy Balloon Over Montana|first=Savannah|last=Rychcik|date=February 3, 2023|access-date=February 5, 2023|archive-date=February 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203160942/https://ijr.com/china-issues-statement-following-reports-balloon/|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 6, Mao said that the U.S. "hyped up the incident on purpose and even used force to attack", and called the shoot down "an unacceptable and irresponsible action".<ref name=":0" />

After the downing on February 5, Vice Foreign Minister [[Xie Feng (diplomat)|Xie Feng]] said he had filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Embassy in response to the incident. Xie accused the United States of indiscriminately using force against a civilian airship that was about to leave U.S. airspace. This force was in violation of "the spirit of international law and international practice" and said that the Chinese government reserved the right to "take further necessary responses".<ref name="apnews/Miller/downs-balloon2"/><ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=China accuses US of indiscriminate use of force over balloon |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-north-america-f8b1c1bbf0fe7bcf8908c45e03c582c8 |publisher=[[AP News]] |first=Emily |last=Wang Fujiyama |date=February 6, 2023 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207002250/https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-north-america-f8b1c1bbf0fe7bcf8908c45e03c582c8 |url-status=live}}</ref> On February 6, a Chinese diplomat said in an interview with French news network [[La Chaîne Info|LCI]] that the United States should return the recovered balloon debris to China.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 8, 2023 |title=China Says US Should Return Debris From Balloon It Shot Down |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-08/china-says-us-should-return-debris-from-balloon-it-shot-down |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208135225/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-08/china-says-us-should-return-debris-from-balloon-it-shot-down |url-status=live }}</ref>

On February 13, Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesperson [[Wang Wenbin]] said that U.S. high-altitude balloons had "illegally crossed China's airspace" more than ten times since 2022. According to CNN, he did not offer evidence. Wang also complained about U.S. reconnaissance against China and wiretapping efforts around the world.<ref name="Nectar Gan 2023">{{cite news |last1=Gan |first1=Nectar |last2=Chang |first2=Wayne |date=February 13, 2023 |title=China accuses US of 'illegally' flying balloons across its airspace |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/13/china/china-unidentified-flying-object-intl-hnk-mic/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214113449/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/13/china/china-unidentified-flying-object-intl-hnk-mic/index.html |archive-date=February 14, 2023}}</ref> U.S. National Security spokesperson John Kirby said "there is no U.S. surveillance craft in China's airspace" but declined to specify whether his denial covered disputed airspace claimed by China.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=2023-02-13 |title=No U.S. surveillance craft in China's airspace, White House says |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-no-us-surveillance-craft-chinas-airspace-2023-02-13/ |access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref> On February 14, Wang elaborated by saying that since 2022, circumnavigation balloons launched from U.S. soil flew over China and other countries illegally more than ten times.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 14, 2023 |title=2023年2月14日外交部发言人汪文斌主持例行记者会 |url=https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/fyrbt_673021/202302/t20230214_11024982.shtml |website=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China]] |language=zh}}</ref>

On February 14, Minister of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman [[Hua Chunying]] suggested the U.S. was focused more on the "wandering civilian balloon" than the [[2023 Ohio train derailment]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Dale and Cohen |first1=Daniel and Zachary |title=China calls Ohio train crash OhioChernobyl as it mocks US for caring too much about spy balloon |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/china-ohio-train-crash-spy-balloon-b2282302.html |website=[[The Independent]] |date=24 February 2023}}</ref>

=== NATO ===
[[NATO]] secretary-general [[Jens Stoltenberg]] said the balloon "confirms a pattern of Chinese behavior where we see that China has invested heavily in new capabilities, including different types of surveillance and intelligence platforms", and that it presents security challenges for the members of the alliance.<ref>{{cite news |last=Macias |first=Amanda |date=February 8, 2023 |title=Spy balloon confirms 'pattern of Chinese behavior' that poses threat to NATO members, Stoltenberg says |publisher=[[CNBC]] |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/08/spy-balloon-confirms-pattern-of-chinese-behavior-that-poses-threat-to-nato-members-stoltenberg-says.html |access-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211140055/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/08/spy-balloon-confirms-pattern-of-chinese-behavior-that-poses-threat-to-nato-members-stoltenberg-says.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Australia ===
Amidst the ongoing [[Australia–China trade war]], Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs [[Penny Wong]] said: "I believe the US has managed this as carefully as possible. They brought the balloon down over their own territorial waters."<ref name="9news/spy-balloon-Wong">{{cite news |last=Wood |first=Richard |title=Penny Wong backs US over shooting down of Chinese 'spy balloon' |url=https://www.9news.com.au/world/chinese-spy-balloon-impact-on-china-australia-relations/09542995-978a-4565-9a47-5950183df139 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |work=[[9news.com.au]] |date=February 6, 2023 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207051129/https://www.9news.com.au/world/chinese-spy-balloon-impact-on-china-australia-relations/09542995-978a-4565-9a47-5950183df139 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="news/wong-calm-balloon">{{cite news |last=Ransley |first=Ellen |title=Penny Wong urges calm after US shoots down China 'weather' balloon |date=February 6, 2023 |url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/penny-wong-urges-calm-after-us-shoots-down-china-weather-balloon/news-story/a64ee673b09c37b956615d4d341b9696 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |work=[[news.com.au]]}}</ref><ref name="abc.net.au/101934246">{{cite news |title=Foreign Minister Penny Wong responds to the balloon incident |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-06/foreign-minister-penny-wong-responds-to-the/101934246 |access-date=February 7, 2023 |work=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=February 5, 2023 |language=en-AU |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207051129/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-06/foreign-minister-penny-wong-responds-to-the/101934246 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Japan===
Japan said that it strongly suspected Chinese surveillance balloons had entered its territory on at least three occasions and told China that violations of its airspace by uncrewed surveillance balloons were absolutely unacceptable.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=2023-02-14 |title=Japan Defence Ministry 'strongly suspects' Chinese surveillance balloons have entered Japanese territory |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-defence-ministry-strongly-suspects-chinese-surveillance-balloons-have-2023-02-14/ |access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=2023-02-15 |title=Japan told China violation of airspace by balloons is unacceptable, spokesman says |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-told-china-violation-airspace-by-balloons-is-unacceptable-spokesman-2023-02-15/ |access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref>

===Singapore===
The Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs, [[Vivian Balakrishnan]], said that it was a "pity" that Blinken's visit to China was postponed. He added regarding the balloon that "hopefully both sides exercise sufficient self-restraint and reduce the prospects of such incidents".<ref>{{cite web |title=Transcript of Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's Post-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat Doorstop Interview in Indonesia with Singapore Media, 4 February 2023 |url=https://www.mfa.gov.sg/Newsroom/Press-Statements-Transcripts-and-Photos/2023/02/AFMRDI0402 |website=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)]] |publisher=}}</ref>

=== United Kingdom ===
Prime Minister [[Rishi Sunak]] stated on February 13 that the United Kingdom's government would do "whatever it takes" to defend the country from observation balloons. He added that the Royal Air Force had alerted [[Eurofighter Typhoon|Typhoon jets]] to stand-by.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 13, 2023 |title=UK ready to defend against spy balloons – Rishi Sunak |language=en-GB |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64623131 |url-status=live |access-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213173503/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64623131 |archive-date=February 13, 2023}}</ref> Furthermore, ex-[[MI6]] chief Sir [[Alex Younger]], said that due to the systematic nature of China's surveillance program, the UK must "wake up" to China's threat to global security.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 14, 2023 |title=UK must wake up to China threat, says ex-MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64635179 |url-status=live |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214113252/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-64635179 |archive-date=February 14, 2023 |via=}}</ref>

=== Venezuela ===
Venezuela's foreign ministry condemned the United States for shooting down what they stated was an unmanned civilian aircraft which posed no threat.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lauren |first=Giella |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Putin Ally Backs China, Says U.S. Was Wrong to Shoot Down Spy Balloon |work=[[Newsweek]] |url=https://www.newsweek.com/vladimir-putin-ally-venezuela-nicolas-maduro-backs-china-says-us-wrong-shoot-down-spy-balloon-1779346 |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209020125/https://www.newsweek.com/vladimir-putin-ally-venezuela-nicolas-maduro-backs-china-says-us-wrong-shoot-down-spy-balloon-1779346 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=bloom>{{cite news |date=February 5, 2023 |title=Venezuela Condemns Washington for Shooting Down Chinese Balloon |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-05/venezuela-condemns-us-for-shooting-down-chinese-balloon |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206142729/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-05/venezuela-condemns-us-for-shooting-down-chinese-balloon |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Media reactions===
==== Analysis ====
Michael Clarke, a British defense analyst, claimed that China wanted the balloon "to be noticed". He described the incident as a "stunt gone wrong", giving the United States an opportunity to "milk this".<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url= https://news.sky.com/story/amp/how-did-the-us-successfully-shoot-down-chinas-spy-balloon-with-a-single-missile-and-what-was-on-it-12803882 |title= How did the US successfully shoot down China's 'spy balloon' with a single missile - and what was on it? |website=[[Sky News]] |date=5 February 2023 |first= Megan |last=Baynes}}</ref> Believing China to be "completely in the wrong", Clarke surmised that the fly-over was their way of retaliating for a February 2 agreement between the United States and the Philippines that would grant four more US military bases there in response to China's [[Nine-dash line|nine dash line]] claims.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite news |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Spy balloon: China wanted surveillance balloon 'to be noticed' says defence analyst Michael Clarke |website=[[Sky News]] |url=https://news.sky.com/video/spy-balloon-china-wanted-surveillance-balloon-to-be-noticed-says-defence-analyst-michael-clarke-12802201}}</ref>

[[John Blaxland (historian)|John Blaxland]], a professor of international security and intelligence studies at the [[Australian National University]], suggested that China likely expected the balloon to be detected and being detected was the goal. He believes that the balloon was launched to embarrass the US, with intelligence gathering being a secondary objective.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Helen |date=2023-02-03 |title=Spy balloons: what are they and why are they still being used? |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/03/spy-balloons-what-are-they-and-why-are-they-still-being-used |access-date=2023-02-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203062839/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/03/spy-balloons-what-are-they-and-why-are-they-still-being-used |archive-date=2023-02-03 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Baxland also said that the balloon could be designed to test the resolve of Washington as well as gather information about American detection capabilities and reaction.<ref>{{cite news |last=McGregor |first=Maeve |date=2023-02-07 |title=Why would China use obsolete espionage when it operates advanced satellites? |language=en-US |website=[[Crikey]] |url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2023/02/07/china-balloon-espionage-surveillance/ |access-date=2023-02-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208050537/https://www.crikey.com.au/2023/02/07/china-balloon-espionage-surveillance/ |archive-date=2023-02-08}}</ref>

On the shooting of the balloon, Christopher Twomey, a security scholar, said that any Chinese response would be restrained and that China would want to "sweep this under the rug" and emphasize senior-level visits within months.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Woo |first1=Ryan |last2=Torode |first2=Greg |date=February 5, 2023 |title=China has reasons to keep cool after U.S. downs balloon |publisher=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china-has-reasons-keep-cool-after-us-downs-suspected-spy-balloon-2023-02-05/ |access-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207021029/https://www.reuters.com/world/china-has-reasons-keep-cool-after-us-downs-suspected-spy-balloon-2023-02-05/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Bonnie S. Glaser|Bonnie Glaser]], a China expert at the [[German Marshall Fund]] of the United States, said that "we collect intelligence on China from bases all around their east coast, in Japan, Guam and Australia. We fly P-8 [spy plane] flights on a daily basis and the Chinese can't do that." Surveillance ballons might have been a creative way to collect information and to offer China some insights into US capabilities and possibly vulnerabilities.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Luke |last2=Yu |first2=Verna |last3=Lowell |first3=Hugo |last4=Borger |first4=Julian |date=2023-02-10 |title=China 'spy balloon' wakes up world to new era of war at edge of space |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/10/china-spy-balloons-surveillance-high-altitude}}</ref>

[[Gregory Falco]], an aerospace security expert at the [[Johns Hopkins University]], said that the balloon's large solar panels and antenna indicated surveillance technology.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 9, 2023 |title=Chinese balloon capable of gathering intelligence - US official |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64587228 |url-status=live |access-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216134652/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64587228 |archive-date=February 16, 2023}}</ref> According to Falco, the first balloon and subsequent UFOs downed by the United States are part of a hybrid communications architecture linking with Chinese satellites.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 3, 2023 |title=High-Flying Balloon Seen as Part of Broader Chinese Spy Program |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |publisher= |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-03/high-flying-balloon-seen-as-part-of-broader-chinese-spy-program |url-status=live |access-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205011551/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-03/high-flying-balloon-seen-as-part-of-broader-chinese-spy-program |archive-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> He said that surveillance by balloon is conducted by many nations and detected "all the time" without eliciting a big response. After the balloon was seen by the public, in part because of its large size, political pressure prompted the Biden administration to make a show of force, even though trying to lower the objects' altitude more slowly might have preserved more of their payload compared with destroying them using advanced missiles.<ref name=":5">{{cite news |date=February 13, 2023 |title=Spy balloons 'part of China's hybrid communication architecture', says aerospace security expert |agency=[[Channel 4]] |url=https://www.channel4.com/news/spy-balloons-part-of-chinas-hybrid-communication-architecture-says-aerospace-security-expert |access-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216041007/https://www.channel4.com/news/spy-balloons-part-of-chinas-hybrid-communication-architecture-says-aerospace-security-expert |url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Satire ====
The incident was [[satirized]] for the show ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' the evening after it was shot down.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG3kUa8uM4c |title=Spy Balloon Cold Open - SNL |date=Feb 4, 2023 |publisher=[[Saturday Night Live]] |access-date=2023-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218044955/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG3kUa8uM4c |archive-date=2023-02-18 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}}</ref> In the sketch, performer [[Bowen Yang]] portrayed an [[anthropomorphized]] depiction of the downed balloon being interviewed by [[MSNBC]] journalist [[Katy Tur]] (played by [[Chloe Fineman]]).<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Stern |first=Marlow |date=February 5, 2023 |title=SNL Airs Hilarious Interview With Bowen Yang's Chinese Spy Balloon |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/snl-hilarious-interview-bowen-yang-chinese-spy-balloon-chloe-fineman-1234673857/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205163123/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/snl-hilarious-interview-bowen-yang-chinese-spy-balloon-chloe-fineman-1234673857/ |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |access-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref> Some sources paid particular attention to Yang's line, "Congrats! You shot a balloon!", with ''[[USA Today]]'' using it in the headline of its coverage.<ref>{{cite news |last=Alexander |first=Bryan |title='SNL': MSNBC lands exclusive interview with Chinese spy balloon: 'Congrats! You shot a balloon' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2023/02/04/snl-msnbc-chinese-spy-balloon-interviewed-cold-open/11191048002/ |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=[[USA Today]] |language=en-US |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207041833/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2023/02/04/snl-msnbc-chinese-spy-balloon-interviewed-cold-open/11191048002/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Other high-altitude objects in February 2023 ==
{{further|List of high-altitude object events in 2023}}
Another balloon was detected flying over Latin America.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-02-06 |title=Second Chinese balloon confirmed over Latin America |url=https://www.dw.com/en/second-chinese-balloon-confirmed-over-latin-america/a-64618457 |website=[[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref> The [[Dirección General de Aviación Civil (Costa Rica)|Costa Rican General Directorate of Civil Aviation]] confirmed the incursion by an object "not of Costa Rican origin", which the locals had first seen on February 2.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 5, 2023 |title=Speculation About Balloon Seen Over Costa Rica Continues |work=[[The Tico Times]] |url=https://ticotimes.net/2023/02/05/speculation-about-balloon-seen-over-costa-rica-continues |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206004939/https://ticotimes.net/2023/02/05/speculation-about-balloon-seen-over-costa-rica-continues |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref> The [[Colombian Air Force]] said that on the morning of February 3, it had detected an object with "characteristics similar to those of a balloon" at a height of {{convert|55000|ft|m}} and traveling at a speed of {{convert|25|knots|abbr=off}}, and after determining it was not a threat to national security and defense or to air safety, had continued to track it until it left Colombian airspace.<ref name=bloom/><ref>{{cite news |date=February 4, 2023 |title=Fuerza Aérea detectó un objeto similar a un globo sobre cielo colombiano |language=es |trans-title=Air Force detected a balloon-like object over Colombian sky |work=[[El Universal (Cartagena)|El Universal]] |url=https://www.eluniversal.com.co/colombia/fuerza-aerea-detecto-un-objeto-similar-a-un-globo-sobre-cielo-colombiano-FD7858766 |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205191046/https://www.eluniversal.com.co/colombia/fuerza-aerea-detecto-un-objeto-similar-a-un-globo-sobre-cielo-colombiano-FD7858766 |url-status=live}}</ref> Sightings of the balloon were also reported from Venezuela,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hutzler |first1=Alexandra |last2=Cathey |first2=Libby |last3=Deliso |first3=Meredith |last4=Guerilus |first4=Stephanie |title=Chinese balloon live updates: Second balloon flying over South America: Pentagon |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/china-spy-balloon/?id=96874279#96889587 |url-status=live |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203145011/https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/china-spy-balloon/?id=96874279 |archive-date=February 3, 2023}}</ref> specifically from [[Maracaibo]].<ref name=":1">{{cite news |date=February 9, 2023 |title=Un globo espía chino también flotó sobre Maracaibo pero Maduro ignoró su visita |language=es |trans-title=Chinese spy balloon also hovered over Maracaibo but Maduro ignored its visit |website=[[La Patilla]] |url=https://www.lapatilla.com/2023/02/09/globo-espia-maracaibo/ |access-date=2023-02-12 |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212142814/https://www.lapatilla.com/2023/02/09/globo-espia-maracaibo/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed those sightings and called the object another Chinese surveillance balloon.<ref name="Gregorian">{{Cite news |last1=Gregorian |first1=Dareh |last2=Kube |first2=Courtney |last3=Gains |first3=Mosheh |last4=Richards |first4=Zoë |title=Another Chinese 'surveillance balloon' is flying over Latin America, Pentagon says |publisher=[[NBC News]] |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/chinese-balloon-cause-civilian-injuries-deaths-rcna69052 |url-status=live |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204014550/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/chinese-balloon-cause-civilian-injuries-deaths-rcna69052 |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref> On February 6, Mao Ning, the spokeswoman for the Chinese government, confirmed the balloon belongs to China, but said that it was used for "flight tests" and was blown off-course in much the same manner as the one spotted over North America.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Selina |last2=Change |first2=Wayne |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Balloon over Latin America belongs to China, Beijing says |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/asia/china-balloon-latin-america-intl/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206142230/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/asia/china-balloon-latin-america-intl/index.html |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref><ref name="BBC News">{{cite news |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Second balloon over Latin America is ours – China |language=en-GB |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64537098 |url-status=live |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206113713/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64537098 |archive-date=February 6, 2023}}</ref> VanHerck revealed on March 7 that China later took down the second balloon.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mitchell |first=Ellen |date=2023-03-08 |title=China brought down its balloon after it crossed Latin America |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3890750-china-brought-down-balloon-after-it-crossed-latin-america |access-date=13 March 2023}}</ref>

On February 10, [[2023 Alaska high-altitude object|another high-altitude object]] was shot down on the vicinity of [[Deadhorse, Alaska]], over the [[Beaufort Sea]];<ref>{{cite news |last=Downing |first=Suzanne |date=February 10, 2023 |title=Breaking: Air Force shoots down item over Prudhoe; temporary flight restriction over Deadhorse, as Air Force C-130 circles Prudhoe Bay |url=https://mustreadalaska.com/breaking-temporary-flight-restriction-over-deadhorse-as-air-force-c-130-circles-prudhoe-bay/ |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=Must Read Alaska |language=en-US |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212133208/https://mustreadalaska.com/breaking-temporary-flight-restriction-over-deadhorse-as-air-force-c-130-circles-prudhoe-bay/ |url-status=live}}</ref> recovery efforts by the [[Alaska National Guard]] on the [[sea ice]] followed.

On February 11, on previous orders of Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], a "[[2023 Yukon high-altitude object|small, cylindrical object]]" was shot down over the [[Yukon Territory]] for violating Canadian [[air space]]; both U.S. and Canadian aircraft had [[scrambling (military)|scrambled]], and a U.S. F-22 jet fighter made the kill.<ref name="2023-02-12 BBC News">{{cite news |last1=Mackintosh |first1=Thomas |last2=Armstrong |first2=Kathryn |date=February 12, 2023 |title=Chuck Schumer: Latest flying objects shot down were likely balloons |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64614098 |url-status=live |access-date=2023-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212095713/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64614098 |archive-date=2023-02-12 |quote=The US believes that the flying objects shot down over North American airspace on Friday and Saturday were balloons, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.}}</ref>

On February 12, the US military shot down [[2023 Lake Huron high-altitude object|a fourth unidentified object]] over [[Lake Huron]], within the maritime territory of [[Michigan]].<ref name="Lake Huron">{{cite news |last1=Liebermann |first1=Oren |last2=Atwood |first2=Kylie |date=February 12, 2023 |title=US military shoots down high-altitude object over Lake Huron on Sunday |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/12/politics/lake-huron-high-altitude-object/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213034412/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/12/politics/lake-huron-high-altitude-object/index.html |archive-date=February 13, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/12/another-object-shot-down-over-lake-huron-michigan/11243985002/|title=Another object shot down over Lake Huron in Michigan|first=Tom Vanden|last=Brook|website=[[USA Today]]|access-date=February 14, 2023|archive-date=February 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214172505/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/12/another-object-shot-down-over-lake-huron-michigan/11243985002/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On February 14, the US government announced that the latter three high-altitude objects shot down over the North America were likely private entities with no relations to China. Further analysis and debris collections were underway.<ref name=":4">{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-14/us-says-mystery-objects-likely-private-craft-not-tied-to-spying |title=US Says 3 Mystery Objects Likely Private, With No China Link |website=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=14 February 2024 |first1=Jordan |last1=Fabian |first2=Courtney |last2=McBride |first3=Laura |last3=Litvan |access-date=February 15, 2023 |archive-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214211910/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-14/us-says-mystery-objects-likely-private-craft-not-tied-to-spying |url-status=live}}</ref> The four AIM-9X missiles expended for shooting down the three objects cost at least $1.5 million.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Viswanatha |first=Nancy A. Youssef and Aruna |title=Pentagon Spent At Least $1.5 Million on Missiles to Down Three High-Altitude Objects |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-spent-at-least-1-5-million-on-missiles-to-down-three-high-altitude-objects-b358e522 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-02-26}}</ref>

On February 17, the US and Canada suspended their search for the debris from the downed objects and the missile that missed.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Weinberger |first1=Sharon |last2=Vlahou |first2=Toula |title=U.S., Canada Abandon Search for Downed Objects |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-military-ends-search-for-flying-objects-downed-over-lake-huron-and-alaska-7108cfdc |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="BBC Abandoned">{{cite news |date=2023-02-18 |title=US and Canada abandon search for three flying objects shot down |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64687038 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225131615/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64687038 |archive-date=February 25, 2023}}</ref>

Documents released in November 2024 revealed that debris from the Lake Huron object had been recovered and that the object was "from a company who sells weather monitoring equipment."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nbcmontana.com/news/nation-world/ufo-shot-down-by-us-fighter-jet-found-on-lake-hurons-shoreline-north-america-us-f-16-fighter-jet-octagon-shaped-missile-freedom-of-information-coast-guard-weather-monitoring-equipment-chinese-surveillance-balloon|title=UFO shot down by US fighter jet found on Lake Huron's shoreline|last=Fishman|first=Taylor|date=2024-11-16|work=NBC Montana|access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref>

== Additional assessments of the balloon ==
Following the April [[2023 Pentagon document leaks]], ''The Washington Post'' uncovered additional information from a trove of classified files on [[Discord]] that had previously not been reported.<ref name=":82"/> They include U.S. assessment of the Chinese balloon's power generation capability (up to 10,000 watts), which would be sufficient to operate [[synthetic-aperture radar]] equipment if carried on board, and how parts of the Chinese government were surprised by the balloon's North American incursion, judging from intercepted communications. U.S. intelligence had been aware of four other similar balloons, one of which had flown over a [[Nimitz-class aircraft carrier|''Nimitz'']] [[Carrier battle group|carrier strike group]] in western Pacific, while another had crashed in the [[South China Sea]]. The documents did not date those incidents. The Pentagon and the [[Office of National Intelligence]] declined to comment.<ref name=":82" />

In June, preliminary investigation by the U.S. reported the presence of reconnaissance equipment on board the balloon downed in February. There were conflicting reports on whether it had collected any intelligence during its flight.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=2023-06-29 |title=Chinese spy balloon did not collect information over US, Pentagon says |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/chinese-spy-balloon-did-not-collect-information-over-us-pentagon-2023-06-29/ |access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bertrand |first=Natasha |date=2023-04-03 |title=Chinese spy balloon was able to transmit information back to Beijing |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/03/politics/chinese-spy-balloon/index.html |website=CNN}}</ref> It does not appear to have sent anything back to China. ''The Wall Street Journal'' said the balloon [[export control|carried off-the-shelf]] U.S. gear.<ref name=":92"/> Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General [[Patrick S. Ryder]] did not confirm that information but said that Chinese drones in the past have utilized off-the-shelf U.S. equipment.<ref name=":92" /> He also said that mitigation efforts "contributed" to the balloon not collecting any intelligence while transiting or overflying the United States.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-06-29 |title=US says Chinese spy balloon downed in February did not collect information |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/29/chinese-spy-balloon-shot-information-biden |access-date=2023-06-30 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

On September 17, 2023, in an interview with CBS news, General Mark Milley, the retiring 20th US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated “I would say it was a spy balloon that we know with high degree of certainty got no intelligence, and didn't transmit any intelligence back to China." Technical experts had also found that the balloon's sensors had never been activated while it was travelling over the Continental United States. The general also touched on a leading theory that the reason that it was flying over the United States, was probably because it was blown off-track, where the balloon had been heading towards Hawaii however winds at 60,000 feet simply came into the equation. Milley said, "those winds are very high.. the particular motor on that aircraft can't go against those winds at that altitude."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-17 |title=The bizarre secret behind China's spy balloon |url=https://news.yahoo.com/bizarre-secret-behind-chinas-spy-132621162.html |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=China's spy balloon: What we've learned - CBS San Francisco |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/video/chinas-spy-balloon-what-weve-learned/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

According to US intelligence officials as reported by NBC News on December 28, 2023, the balloon utilized a commercially available internet service provider based in the US primarily for navigation guidance. The identity of the US company was withheld by NBC for security concerns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kube |first=Courtney |last2=Lee |first2=Carol E. |date=2023-12-28 |title=U.S. intelligence officials determined the Chinese spy balloon used a U.S. internet provider to communicate |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/us-intelligence-officials-determined-chinese-spy-balloon-used-us-inter-rcna131150 |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=www.nbcnews.com |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikinews|Tensions increase as US recovers downed Chinese "spy balloon" debris}}
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order ♦♦♦--->
* [[1960 U-2 incident]]
* [[Balloon buster]]
* [[Fu-Go balloon bomb]]
* [[Hainan Island incident]]
* [[High-altitude balloon#Geostationary balloon satellite|Geostationary balloon satellite]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}{{Congressional Research Service|article=Monitoring the Sovereign Skies|url=https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN12118|author=Bart Elias|access-date=2022-03-02}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

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