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A Chinese spy balloon that traversed US airspace in 2023 was equipped with American technology, according to a new report. The balloon, which was shot down off the coast of South Carolina on February 4, 2023, contained technology from at least five US companies, including satellite communication modules and sensors, as reported by Newsweek.
The balloon, approximately 200 feet tall, carried equipment capable of surveying, taking photographs, and collecting intelligence data. It even had launchable gliders for additional reconnaissance missions. The technology matched a patent from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Aerospace Information Innovation Research Institute, linked to China's military.
The balloon included a short-burst messaging module called Iridium 9602, along with technology from Iridium, Texas Instruments, Omega Engineering, Amphenol All Sensors Corporation, and onsemi. Iridium, a global satellite communications provider, stated that it is difficult to track how its technology is used after purchase.
"We certainly don’t condone our radios or our modules ending up and being used in ways they shouldn’t be," said Jordan Hassim, Iridium’s executive director for communications.
Despite the findings, Chinese officials maintain that the balloon was a civilian weather-research airship that accidentally drifted into US airspace. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, DC, reiterated this narrative, attributing the incident to "force majeure" and the balloon's limited steering capability.