Two U.S. authorities told on Friday that the U.S. military is monitoring a high-altitude balloon above the Western United States.
US military planes saw it and concluded it posed not a threat.
The two officials stated that they were unsure of the balloon’s origin or intended use.
The jet stream is causing the balloon to move eastward.
“North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) spotted a tiny balloon at a height ranging between 43,000-45,000 ft in near coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),” North American Aerospace Defense Command Public Affairs informed. “After intercepting the balloon above Utah, NORAD fighters concluded it posed no danger to national security since it was motionless.
NORAD will keep an eye on and watch the balloon. The FAA also concluded that there was no risk to flight safety from the balloon. To guarantee flight safety, NORAD and the FAA continue to work closely together.”
A Chinese spy balloon was found and fired down a year ago after it had been over the United States for many days.
Although the Chinese balloon was equipped with “intelligence collection abilities,” the Pentagon stated in June that no data was collected before the balloon was knocked down.
According to Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, “We took additional measures to reduce any possible efforts of that balloon,” in June.
According to intelligence services, the spy balloon wasn’t employed for weather-related problems as China had claimed, but rather for spying purposes.