I'm confused. All the media are claiming that the balloon is flying at 60,000 feet. The Johnson article is claiming that the balloon is at 55 miles above the earth, which is about 290,000 feet. That's a big difference, the difference between airplanes flying high over our country and satellites orbiting the earth. If it's really at 60,0…
I'm confused. All the media are claiming that the balloon is flying at 60,000 feet. The Johnson article is claiming that the balloon is at 55 miles above the earth, which is about 290,000 feet. That's a big difference, the difference between airplanes flying high over our country and satellites orbiting the earth. If it's really at 60,000 feet, the Johnson article is nonsense. From everything I can tell, it's at 60,000 feet. Apparently, it's drifting with the wind. Also, you can photograph it with a camera and long lens, which is consistent with photographing something 12 miles away. If it was at 55 miles it would be in orbit, it wouldn't be drifting over the country, and you couldn't photograph it from the ground.
I'm confused. All the media are claiming that the balloon is flying at 60,000 feet. The Johnson article is claiming that the balloon is at 55 miles above the earth, which is about 290,000 feet. That's a big difference, the difference between airplanes flying high over our country and satellites orbiting the earth. If it's really at 60,000 feet, the Johnson article is nonsense. From everything I can tell, it's at 60,000 feet. Apparently, it's drifting with the wind. Also, you can photograph it with a camera and long lens, which is consistent with photographing something 12 miles away. If it was at 55 miles it would be in orbit, it wouldn't be drifting over the country, and you couldn't photograph it from the ground.
That does sound right.
34 miles (180k feet) is the highest any balloon has EVER gone. There's no way this thing is anywhere near 55 miles up.
Tx