News Balloon-like UFO spotted over Sendai

thomas

thomas

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Yesterday, a mysterious balloon was spotted flying over northern Japan with both the JMA and the Self-Defense Forces clueless. The object resembling a large spherical balloon was flying at an altitude of over 11,400 metres and had a cross-shaped construction hanging underneath.

There was no follow-up in the media today. A home-made high-altitude drone or a poor man's satellite from North Korea?



www.japantimes.co.jp

Mysterious balloon-like object spotted above northern Japan

Officials struggle to give answers as Twitter asks, 'Is it a UFO?'
www.japantimes.co.jp www.japantimes.co.jp

 
Looks like a weather balloon. Also, its not really a UFO if every one identifies it as a balloon. ;)
 
Possibly one of those recently launched propaganda balloons in ROK that was supposed to drift north?
 
Well, it seems another of these contraptions has been sighted over the Montana ICBM silos. Now we know where they came from.

chinese-spy-balloon.webp

www.bbc.com

Chinese spy balloon: US tracks suspected surveillance device

Officials decided against shooting it down amid concerns over the danger of falling debris.
www.bbc.com
 
Saw some intelligence person on CNN discussing this. Likely not any better than what a satellite can gather, and you just need to cross your fingers and hope that it overflies the right place at the right time. Also quite visible early on, you know it's coming (satellites, too). Altitude wasn't given, just that it was "well above" normal aircraft, so maybe 50,000ft or so, perhaps varying with atmospheric pressure, temps, etc. No doubt that signals going to/from the balloon are being monitored. (perhaps interfered with a little, tho you wouldn't want to show your hand ;) )

Talking head also said one reason for no shoot-down is that the US surveys china from high altittudes, from within what china says is its own zone, but which the US doesn't recognize--so the US goes into those areas for a look-down on china, both visual and electronic (no doubt dprk, too). So the logic goes--if the US shoots this balloon down, china may then have an excuse to do the same with whatever the US has close to them. Talking head didn't say so, but "concern over falling debris" is just smoke.
 
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Yep, I saw the same feature tonight. They also said if the balloon were to come down over international waters, there'd be a hell of a scramble by intelligence services.
 
Japan and several other nations will have to look more closely at previous reports of unidentified objects crossing their territory.

miyagi-chinese-spy-balloon.jpg


Japanese lawmakers are revisiting reports of flying objects spotted in the skies over Japan about three years ago that appear to be similar to the Chinese balloon shot down by a U.S. fighter jet. Washington claims the balloon it brought down over the Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 4 was spying on sensitive military sites after it had drifted over a large part of the continental United States. Mysterious balloon-like objects were seen over the city of Sendai in June 2020 and in other areas of the nation in 2021. "If a foreign balloon intrudes into our airspace without permission, it is considered to be violating our airspace," Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said at a news conference after a Cabinet meeting on Feb. 7. He added shooting it down is an option to protect the lives and property of the people.
Click to expand...




The object in the photo above was spotted over Miyagi Prefecture in the summer of 2020. Yesterday, an expert explained that the balloon's trajectory could be traced back to central China. China still calls them civilian weather balloons. The chutzpah.
 
I tried to get ChatGPT to do a cute hot air balloon in a Japanese style.

I got this:

Yes, here is a simple design for a cute hot air balloon in a Japanese style:

__
/ \
/ \
/ \
/________\
//________\\
//__________\\
//____________\\
(________________)
\ /
\____________/
\__________/
\________/
\______/
\____/
\__/

This hot air balloon features a traditional Japanese roof-shaped basket, with a curved design that mimics the shape of traditional Japanese buildings. The balloon itself is round and has a smiling face, with two eyes and a big smile, inspired by the cute and playful style of Japanese anime and manga. The bottom of the basket has a simple wave pattern, representing the ocean or waves. The entire design is surrounded by clouds, further emphasizing the playful and whimsical nature of the hot air balloon.
 
Lothor said:
I tried to get ChatGPT to do a cute hot air balloon in a Japanese style.
Click to expand...
I wonder if, in the payload hanging below the balloon, they included a fax machine...? ;)

More seriously, I'm sure someone has had the thought that one (or more) of these could carry a nuke. Not to drop on anything specific, but for an EMP.

WWIII could later become known as "the balloon war".
 
johnnyG said:
More seriously, I'm sure someone has had the thought that one (or more) of these could carry a nuke. Not to drop on anything specific, but for an EMP. WWIII could later become known as "the balloon war".
Click to expand...

Provided they accept foreign volunteers, I'd be glad to enlist with the 1st Kanto Montgolfière Squadron. I'd even bring my own arquebus.
 
jb1.webpjb2.webpjb3.webpjb4.webpjb5.webpjb6.webp Possible Japanese spy balloons. I think I'd go with the "Hello Kitty". What pilot would have the heart to shoot it down?
 

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