Re:U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance ...
by notyourwork on Saturday February 04, 2023 @11:40PM
(#34661938)
Sorry but I find “ that the U.S. is dangerously behind” laughable. A ballon around so your conclusion is to draw conclusions on the advances of nation states.
Re:U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance ...
by idlewords on Saturday February 04, 2023 @11:51PM
(#34662013)
The Venusian zeppelin mission is awesome; the upper atmosphere there is probably the most earthlike environment in the Solar System. Only the acid clouds prevent the crew from just being able to open the windows and sit around drinking beer in a medical oxygen mask and swimsuit.
Re:U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance ...
by rascul on Sunday February 05, 2023 @12:41AM
(#34662293)
> Only the acid clouds prevent the crew from just being able to open the windows and sit around drinking beer in a medical oxygen mask and swimsuit.
You just ruined Venus for me. Thanks.
Re:U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance ...
by wkat4242 on Sunday February 05, 2023 @12:01AM
(#34662074)
The US has much better spy tech than balloons, which are really obvious and easily shot down as demonstrated today.
Not being a leader in this tech is not a bad thing IMO. And earth balloons don't translate to venusian ones.
Ps would you really be happy living in zeppelin city knowing a leak would drop you into acid inferno?
Re:U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance ...
by bobby_bbb on Sunday February 05, 2023 @12:24AM
(#34662201)
"Spending huge sums of money on space exploration is a much better use of government funds than getting involved in ground wars in Asia"
What if you are able to save tens of thousands of human lives by getting involved in that ground war?
Re:U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance ...
by bagels on Sunday February 05, 2023 @12:28AM
(#34662230)
It's going to cost hundreds of thousands or millions, won't it?
Re:U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance ...
by jallen_dot_dev on Sunday February 05, 2023 @12:25AM
(#34662209)
> the U.S. is dangerously behind China when it comes to balloon technology.
Mr. President, we must not allow a balloon gap!
It's a serious warning that the U.S. is dangerously behind China when it comes to balloon technology. Note also, balloons are one way of colonizing Venus (floating high in the atmosphere without having to approach the dangerously hot surface).
Clearly we need a Venus Balloon Program to show who's the technological leader on this planet, just like with the Apollo Mission. Mars is for wimps, real explorers go to Venus! Now's let's put $50 billion into it. The prototype is already here (2022):
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/jpls-venus-aerial-robotic-ball...
[edit: to be clear I am absolutely not joking. Spending huge sums of money on space exploration is a much better use of government funds than getting involved in ground wars in Asia]