US tracking balloon observed over southwest earlier this morning, but it does not pose a threat, according to NORAD

The US is tracking a “small balloon” that was observed earlier this morning over the southwest and is drifting east, but it is not believed to pose a threat, according to a statement from North American Aerospace Defense Command.

The balloon is approximately 50-feet tall and is carrying a small 2-foot cube, according to a US official. It is far smaller than a Chinese spy balloon that was shot down last year.

Fighter jets from NORAD observed the balloon on Friday morning as it was drifting over Utah. The fighters did not shoot the balloon down, but they are tracking its movement as it floats above the US.

“NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon. The FAA also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety,” the statement said. “NORAD remains in close coordination with the FAA to ensure flight safety.”

The origin of the balloon is unclear, but the official stressed that it does not pose a threat to national security.

The balloon is currently at a height between 43,000 and 45,000 feet, NORAD said, which would place it above most commercial aircraft.

This balloon is significantly smaller than the Chinese spy balloon that traversed the United States early in 2023. That balloon, which was ultimately shot down off the coast of South Carolina, was 200 feet tall and carried a payload weighing more than a couple thousand pounds. The balloon carried solar panels, batteries, electronics and sensitive surveillance and communications equipment.

The Chinese spy balloon also used US internet service providers to send short, periodic transmissions about its location and navigations back to China. The balloon also flew at a far higher altitude of 60,000 feet, though it was still large enough to be visible from the ground. It was so large…