- The United States on Saturday shot down a balloon officials said was a Chinese surveillance device.
- The balloon had been spotted floating over the US and parts of Canada this week.
- Below is a timeline of the balloon’s journey over the country and what is known about the device.
The United States on Saturday shot down a balloon spotted floating over the nation and parts of Canada this week that officials said was a Chinese surveillance device.
While China maintains the balloon was a civilian airship “used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes,” Pentagon officials say it was “being used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States.”
Though the balloon has since been shot down by F22 fighter jets, it captured the country’s attention for days with questions of national security and international relations. Below is a timeline of the balloon’s journey over the country and what is known about its mission.
