A “small, metallic balloon with a tethered payload below it” was shot down in Canadian airspace, according to a memo from the Pentagon. This is one of three objects shot down in recent days, following the take down of a Chinese spy balloon that traversed the US the previous weekend. Lawmakers are pressing for a better understanding of why the objects were shot down, but the White House denies it was due to political pressure.
The radar used by North American Aerospace Defense Command was adjusted to refine detection settings, and efforts are underway to retrieve debris to better understand the objects. The first missile launched at the object over Lake Huron on Sunday did not hit the target, but the priority is now recovery and exploitation of the object.
