On February 1, 2023, a reporter noticed a massive white balloon floating in the sky over Billings, Montana. The U.S. military sent fighter jets to investigate and concluded it was a Chinese surveillance balloon that had mysteriously floated into U.S. airspace. The balloon was the size of three school buses and carried surveillance equipment.

The U.S. government initially decided not to explode the balloon because they feared the debris could injure people on the ground. For the next three days, the balloon made national news as it was spotted flying over Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Missouri. Finally, on February 4, 2023, the balloon floated off the coast of North Carolina, and President Biden ordered U.S. fighter jets to shoot it down. The balloon exploded, and its debris fell into the Atlantic ocean.

When asked how she would react if she saw the balloon, senior Annabelle Brown stated, “I would be scared if I saw that. The situation doesn’t seem very good.” The government is now examining the balloon’s parts to determine exactly what the Chinese government intended. The Chinese government claims it was only a weather balloon and that the U.S. government is overreacting. Staff member Mr. Bueno shares his thoughts on the situation, “It should’ve been shot when it entered the United States. I don’t think they should be looking at our military and weapons.”

It has now been discovered that China has floated similar spy balloons over Canada, South America, and Japan. The U.S. government’s investigation is still underway.