Nearly 2,000 balloons are launched into the sky daily, to monitor everything from the weather to specific phenomena in space
Balloons are in fact such a ubiquitous presence in the stratosphere that there is an icon to monitor them on the Flight Radar website used to track aircraft.
With a potential risk to planes, experts say the practice is well regulated, which is what makes these most recent examples so unusual. “Either these weren’t meeting those standards because they were allowed to, or they were working outside normal protocol,” says Tucker.The sudden flurry of objects is at least partly explained by heightened vigilance. Since the discovery of the giant balloon, the Pentagon has scrutinised high altitudes more and radar system have been made more sensitive.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nearly 20,000 refugees to get same rights as other permanent residents after being kept ‘in limbo’Albanese government has cleared the way for temporary protection and safe haven visa holders to apply for permanency
Read more »
Portugal Catholic clergy sexually abused nearly 5,000 minors: inquiryAt least 4,815 children were sexually abused by members of the Portuguese Catholic Church — mostly priests — over the past 70 years, a commission investigating the issue says.
Read more »
Former Blue Sky boss swoops on Emerald fruit orchards in $70m dealArgyle Capital Partners, founded by Kim Morison, has spent about $70 million buying one of the country’s largest horticultural enterprises.
Read more »
Bushfire spike likely by end of 2023, Sky News Australia forecastsVirtually all global models warn there is a high risk of El Niño developing late this year, which would mean our weather stories shifting their focus from floods to droughts and fires, writes Sky News Australia Meteorologist Rob Sharpe.
Read more »
Parliament Live: Visa overhaul to see 19,000 refugees settle permanentlyThe Albanese Government will overhaul Australia’s visa system allowing for 19,000 refugees who arrived by boat to apply for permanent residency. Follow Sky News Australia’s continuous coverage of the major stories in Parliament.
Read more »