US Recovering Balloon Debris, Won't Return it to China

Channel News Asia ^ | 07 Feb 2023

[Interesting Times]

That’ll show ‘em.

[TexasFreeper2009]

well... not unless they buy a Hunter Biden painting!!!

[dfwgator]

Don’t you believe it.

[Yo-Yo]

The only thing that would float are pieces of the balloon envelope.

They payload and associated framing and the solar panels would all sink.

There’s nothing of value to retrieve anyway, after being blown up by an AIM-9X Sidewinder, then plummeting 65,000 feet and slamming into the ocean surface.

[jerod]

But... but... but. What will they do without that valuable weather information?

[NorthMountain]

1) Sidewinder had an inert warhead.

2) Sidewinder hit the balloon, not the payload.

Still, a long drop.

[Red Badger]

Why bother?

They bought Hunter Biden......................

[GingisK]

No kidding! Since when did surface conditions prevent the Navy from viewing stuff just 47 feet down? There aren’t prevailing conditions that would prevent surface vessels, and its divers, from being on location.

[plain talk]

[MtnClimber]

WE WON'T GIVE IT BACK

[frank ballenger]

Fact that it is around 2,000 pounds is evidence that the Chicoms meant business. First reports sounded like a youth’s remote control plane size. Not at all.

[SaveFerris]

Don’t stop believing!!!

😂

[Yo-Yo]

1) Sidewinder had an inert warhead.

False.

2) Sidewinder hit the balloon, not the payload.

Again, false.

[When do we get liberated?]

actual lol moment!

[FrankRizzo890]

Since it was a simple weather balloon launched by someone TOTALLY not the government, China shouldn’t WANT it back. RIGHT?

[outofsalt]

Just return it to Walmart.

[OKSooner]

Hey man, that balloon was made out of some really nice genuine Chinese silk. That stuff can be sold off to the right person for a few bucks, who can repurpose it into some really cool neckties, handkerchiefs, and high-markup lingerie, enough to gross a few million bucks if it's retailed the right way.

Ten percent for the big guy, of course.

[redcatcherb412]

Sidewinder hit the balloon, not the payload.

Unless the videos are edited, the grey explosion puff on video below the envelope appears to be a hit on the dangling payload since it had a radar cross section that the envelope didn't, maybe.

Shootdown vid closeup

[ByteMercenary]

Both of your bullet points are disputed in many other sources around the net. What source do you have to support your points? Just askin’ ...

IMO Xi called Xiden and asked that the payload be destroyed, something Xi would do if Xi knew the payload was an espionage unit and fully expected that the payload would not be returned to China. Mr Cabbage-head in the White House would be only happy to oblige.