'Explosion in the sky' above Billings Montana where Chinese balloon was spotted above U.S. airspace - resident witness jet zoom by followed by trail of smoke

The Daily Mail ^ | Februay 3, 2023 | ronny reyes

[TigersEye]

If the flash came from the explosion that hit the balloon wouldn’t it reach the camera before the balloon had fallen several thousand feet trailing smoke?

Light travels at 186,000 ft. per second.

[Mr. Jeeves]

The wimpy excuse I first heard earlier was “we are worried about debris falling on the inhabited area below.”

Blackadder: “Then I suppose some sort of hat would be in order?” :)

[TigersEye]

My mistake, 186,000 MILES per second.

[conservativeimage]

Just be glad all your electronics are still working. Any second now.

[pfflier]

Hydrogen burns but it would not "explode" as it escapes from a balloon bag. It would be more of a "whoosh" sound. Also, a hydrogen flame would be almost invisible. What is visible in the Hindenberg film is the materials set on fire by the burning hydrogen.

It is possible that the balloon had a destruct package, don't know yet what happened.

A layperson's description of a maybe intercept and shootdown is all we have. I'll bet my lunch money that she has never seen anything like that in her lifetime.

[Faith65]

Related

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1621590277361131520.html

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Thanks.
BFL

[gundog]

Maybe too difficult to recover the remnants? Or just vacillation in DC?

[OldMissileer]

Did it ‘circle back’?

Yesterday I think it was Tucker reported the US Government stated there was a second balloon being tracked on almost the same path that was still over Canada. I think the "explosion" over Billings was from this second balloon. A third is being tracked over Central or South America. The first balloon was last seen over Missouri somewhere near Whiteman AFB and the B-2 bombers.

[TigersEye]

Why not shoot it down with a laser? No residue from explosives. They could probably control its descent by starting with a small hole and shooting bigger ones if needed.

[steve86]

Contrail is jet exhaust or rocket exhaust, I assume. There isn’t going to be enough left from the balloon to smoke..

[steve86]

We’re not there yet at that altitude, especially with overcast.

[TigersEye]

Did you watch until the end? It was smoke and it was coming down steeply from a high altitude. The smoke was very thick in the higher altitudes.

Rocket exhaust could leave smoke but a jet contrail is just water vapor. Plus a rocket’s travel would be over once it exploded not continuing on for miles afterwards.

[TigersEye]

Laser cannons could be mounted on/in an aircraft.

[steve86]

They aren’t.

[TigersEye]

Oh, OK.

[steve86]

You can’t tell up or down, coming or going with contrails or rocket exhaust.... Very misleading .. Like Chinese “ICBM” off Los Angeles. Was just jet contrail in light of setting sun.

[doorgunner69]

” Is Trudeau like Biden?”

Canadians do not call him Castreau for nothing.

[steve86]

Very close, maybe in testing, but I have certainly not seen them deployed. The big project (747 based) was cancelled.

[Salman]

Am I the only one who thinks the Chinese balloon story is a lie? Or more precisely “guerilla theater” by some US government agency.

[Blood of Tyrants]

From what I have heard the balloon is at 60,000 feet. The only craft that can get that high are military jets and other balloons. Jets go too fast to snag it and balloons are minimally maneuverable.