comment: >
context: On Wednesday, President Biden gave his authorization to take down the surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to American lives under the balloon’s path.
  After careful analysis, U.S. military commanders had determined downing the balloon while over land posed an undue risk to people across a wide area due to the size and altitude of the balloon and its surveillance payload. In accordance with the President’s direction, the Department of Defense developed options to take down the balloon safely over our territorial waters, while closely monitoring its path and intelligence collection activities.  
  
  Biden gave the order to shoot down the balloon on Wednesday. The Defense Dept. suggested to down it at the right moment while it was over water. This action was taken in coordination and with the full support of the Canadian government. >
  
  Presumably they've recovered the hardware... >
  
  There's definitely video of the balloon getting shot down but I didn't see anything that looked like a recovery crew in it. Maybe I'm wrong though... >
  
  Navy was ready to recover it in the ocean.  Shit has to be waterproof to fly among the clouds. >
  
  getting exploded by a missile might affect buoyancy. certainly wasn't buoyant in air >
  
  It wasn't exploded. They popped the balloon. no actual explosion. though I am sure it busted into pieces when it hit the water. >
  
  They popped it with a missile. An explosive missile. A missile that explodes. The explosive missile that exploded. Kuzco's poison. >
  
  Did you watch the video? >
  
  OK >
  
  This was the most excited I’ve been to watch a balloon since I was 4 years old. >
  
  Nah, do you remember that family that pretended their kid flew away in a hot air balloon like 10 years ago.  That was more entertaining >
  
  Balloon boy was awesome! >
  
  It really was >
  
  It’s really nice to have adults in the room right now instead of the short fingered, shit flinging gibbon the was the previous occupant of the White House. >
  
  This happened three times under trumps watch. It was  announced earlier today. He didn’t make it public. >
  
  That’s disturbing. >
  
  Fake news. MTG gave the authorization. She called upon those Jewish space lasers. She’s a hero. >
  
  God I wish I could assume this is satire, but these days you just don't know... >
  
  I almost included an /s, but I figured people would know >
  
  It’s entirely plausible she would say something like that man >
  
  Fair enough. She was tweeting about Joe Biden was weak for not taking it down. Now it’s down, and I’m sure she’s pissed about that too. >
  
  Toddlers always get angry when you take their new toy away >
  
  Don't we both have satellites in space that can take pictures in great detail whenever and wherever they want? >
  
  Being able to take pictures/video from a lower altitude would give even better results. >
  
  Under the assumption the quality of camera / lens remains a constant. Not sure what would be more stable and if upper atmosphere conditions would be less hospitable than orbit (eg, less weight restrictions, less vibration?)
  But visual may not be the only thing. Could be monitoring various frequencies, audio, etc.
  ... Or it could be absolutely nothing. Not like this wasn't going to be immediately detected. If anything, this puts leverage in the hands of the US and is pretty embarrassing to China. >
  
  Thanks Lloyd. >
  
  Ladies and Gentlemen, we got ‘em. >
  
  Meanwhile, Republicans: "Just shoot it down over a populated area lol" >
  
  Thank you for waiting for it to traverse the entire country so that bringing it down did not injure a tree in the middle of nowhere