Do we have international agreement about what constitutes sovereign space in the sky and what doesn’t? I mean at what height does it make it not okay to shoot down an object another country sent up? Is it at the height of the low orbit satellites? Should it be out of the earth’s gravitational pull? Or can China shoot down one of US’ low orbit satellites saying it flew over its airspace?
You might be interested in this installment of LegalEagle. I won't elaborate as the topic is complicated. https://youtu.be/P43wVDiZs8k
Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
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Re: Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
#422From Huron in we have to demand answers
All puns aside, we've been demanding answers since they let the first one drift across North America. I'm not holding my breath on getting those answers, though.
Then you haven't been paying attention. Because we're starting to get those answers.
There has been (and that was just last week), an open Senate committee hearing[0] with DoD officials about the balloon, a classified briefing about same and a press briefing[1] by Senators after the classified hearing.
I watched the Senate hearing and got lots of good information, with even more info gleaned from stuff alluded to and teased to the Senators for the classified hearing.
With much more to come once the House comes back into session I'm sure.
[0] https://www.c-span.org/video/?525930-1/defense-department-of...
[1] https://www.c-span.org/video/?525949-1/senators-speak-closed...
Re: Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
#423Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is there a chance that this is a low-effort and low-risk way for China/whoever to further stir up drama in the US? "Where's the proof?" "They're making this up. I haven't seen a photo of the balloon..."
People don’t doubt the balloon exists though
Re: Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
#424Earlier quoted context omitted.
SpaceX has launched 8 Starshield satellites. Nobody knows what they do but they are probably testbeds for platform and space link communications. There are SDA launches planned for March and June. I wouldn't expect to see spy satellites from the SDA; the NRO has always controlled those. I could believe small spy satellites if launched from NRO. There haven't been any details on how missile defense will work from spac…
I highly doubt is the US government doesn't know what they do, it's just the public that doesn't know.
The US government knows exactly what is going on up there at all times and most likely has the most advanced spying satellites and capabilities out of all countries.
The NRO has been doing this since the 60s!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Reconnaissance_Office
>In 2012 the agency donated two space telescopes to NASA. Despite being stored unused, the instruments are superior to the Hubble Space Telescope.
I had a retired intel guy at DEFCON tell me the imagery is so advanced they could zoom in on a coin on the ground and tell if it was heads or tails.
Re: Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
#425Earlier quoted context omitted.
No, they don't. Most peacetime pilots would likely fire one missile during their entire careers if they were lucky.
Yes, they do. The USAF has purchased more than 10,000 of the AIM-9X model alone (not counting the other operators, domestic and foreign, and not counting all the other variants of the Sidewinder, the basic model of which has been in service since the 1950s). That's a helluva lot more than "one per career". https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/Air-Air-Missiles-Takes-Deli... 1
Re: Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
#426Earlier quoted context omitted.
What's happening in Ohio? As non-american I have no idea.
Besides the train, there is the ever-present danger posed by Ohio itself: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/ohio-vs-the-world
Just ask an Ohioan where the come from and they're likely to say "Pennsyltucky" (Pennsylvania and Kentucky being eastern and western border states to Ohio), to obfuscate the existence of their severe danger zone![0]
[0] cf. Poe's Law, as this note serves as a "clear indicator" of my parody.
Re: Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
#427How much food and housing, medical care and education could that have provided?
They need to find a way to deal with this for $100 a pop or it's going to get stupid.
Re: Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
#428Re: Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
#429Earlier quoted context omitted.
China killed one of our spy satellites with a ground-based laser. I think a good rule of thumb is if we can shoot it down, its trespassing.
Are you sure they haven't only tested/demonstrated that capability? I haven't heard of an actual satellite warfare incident yet. That would be a very huge deal.
Re: Military shoots down another high-altitude object, over Lake Huron: officials
#430Earlier quoted context omitted.
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This is such a pedantic and unnecessary line of questioning. Based on my understanding of the federal budget, my contribution to the UN last year would be somewhere between $100 and $200. Why are you and the other GP asking about individual contributions? Isn't that more than enough to be irritated with their existence or capacities? $150/year is a significant amount that I'd definitely rather not pay. This is based…
Curiosity for me!
Out of (further) curiosity, what makes a post on this website “unnecessary” vs (I’m assuming) “necessary”?