The same blimp was just ominously featured in one of the weekly shorts published by the Intercept (the site Greenwald, Poitras, et al. are at and publishing Snowden's leaks). The short is called "The Above" [1], by Kirsten Johnson. It could pass as a great an intro to a dystopian sci-fi movie a la 'District 9'.

[1] https://theintercept.com/fieldofvision/the-above

you mean like Æon Flux (2005)?

It is suspicious circumstances to say the least.

Every image of these JLENS blimps show them anchored with a great many anchor ties, not just one (or a few). However, every report says it just "came loose" or "escaped it's tethering".

Conspiracy theory would probably speculate on some new tech being demoed or tested over Baltimore. These things are supposed to be for detecting missiles and high altitude planes, which would beg the question what one was doing blown up and ready to fly in Baltimore.

If it was meant as a covert demo then the finale where the blimp descended, hit a power line with its tether, then killed the power for 20,000 homes was probably a hell of a cover.

>Conspiracy theory would probably speculate on some new tech being demoed or tested over Baltimore.

It says it right in the article:

"It's currently on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground."

> It says it right in the article

No, the article says the JLENS program is on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground.

That three years is up this year (started program in 2012)... so perhaps they will be decommissioned, or re-purposed.

My statement was more along the conspiracy theory line of domestic surveillance tech being tested.

Strong winds broke the tether. When it is at altitude, there is ~1 tether.

Ah - the article didn't mention that. Seems like a design flaw really... the single tether.

Furthermore, why is it shaped like a blimp with an obvious front-side, when it's designed to be stationary (wouldn't a simple balloon work?)

Balloons are made to be carried away by wind. If you want to keep something stationary in the air, better find a aerodynamic shape. One that can keeps its orientation in the air is better yet.

Fixed orientation is beneficial for the sensors and signal processing too. Less readjustments to make.

Well, the weight of the tethering matters. So they probably can't just have 2 of the strength of the one that broke.

I believe it has a front side because then it can point into the wind, making it easer to stay stationary for the given volume (and hence lift capacity).

Stationary relative to the ground but not the air.

Link is here for the lazy: https://twitter.com/droosien/status/659439312317059074

Another metaphor for the fear of retribution:

Everything on that article is hyperlinked properly except for the tweet from Snowden. Although I do give WP some credit for their original stories on surveillance by NSA/other agencies.

To me it looks like the author of the post on the Washington Post just doesn't know how to embed a tweet, or they're used to a system that will properly identify a link to a tweet and embed it automagically.

Well, I have saw it too many times to believe in errors. Common targets are Snowden related URLs and First Look website.

Don't believe me, just remember that the next time you see it.

> And the perfect mascot.

Almost. It needs the eye of Sauron on it as well.