Suspected Chinese spy balloon spotted over U.S. skies

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The downing of a third high-altitude object -- this one over Canada, on Saturday -- only increases the urgency for Congress to get to the bottom of what appears to be a previously unknown surveillance program by the Chinese, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday.

In an exclusive interview, Schumer told ABC "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos that "the bottom line is, until a few months ago, we didn't know of these balloons."

The suspected Chinese reconnaissance program also existed during the Trump administration but was only recently discovered by the U.S. intelligence and military communities, according to Schumer.

"It's wild we didn't know, isn't it?" Stephanopoulos said.

"It is wild that we didn't know, absolutely," Schumer said, adding, "Now they are learning a lot more."

The downing of a third high-altitude object -- this one over Canada, on Saturday -- only increases the urgency for Congress to get to the bottom of what appears to be a previously unknown surveillance program by the Chinese, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday.

In an exclusive interview, Schumer told ABC "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos that "the bottom line is, until a few months ago, we didn't know of these balloons."

The suspected Chinese reconnaissance program also existed during the Trump administration but was only recently discovered by the U.S. intelligence and military communities, according to Schumer.

"It's wild we didn't know, isn't it?" Stephanopoulos said.

"It is wild that we didn't know, absolutely," Schumer said, adding, "Now they are learning a lot more."

Didn't the Chinese get enormous intelligence as well?" Stephanopoulos followed up.

"They could have been getting it anyway. But we have to know what they're doing, OK?" Schumer said.

By shooting the vessel down over water, Schumer said the U.S. will be able to literally piece together more information about its capabilities: "We're going to probably be able to piece together this whole surveillance balloon and know exactly what's going on."

So cylindrical balloon? doesn't that shape require thrust?

What are you talking about?

Magicians fold party balloons into figures of animals for kids all of the time.

The Hindenberg's cylindrical shape was not caused by its engines, but by it structure. But the shape enabled it to move as fast as a train, and to be steerable- which a spherical balloon like the one shot down off carolina was less able to do.

So this "cylindrical" thing probably was a "car sized" version of a dirgible/zeppilin with fins, and a motor.

I heard some news clip that the US said they’ve detected 20 something Chinese spy balloons over recent years and China responded saying they’ve detected 20 something American spy balloons as well - basically saying stop making such a big deal out of it because everyone is doing it.