Interesting Object in the sky over the Atlantic (on radar now)

Was looking at something else when I noticed this on Flight Radar.

Turns out it's a high altitude balloon from Google's Project LOON. It out over the Atlantic Ocean now. Even stranger is, it must have been launched from a ship. Look at the origination point.

Take a look...

N276LB

Current altitude - 53,500ft
Speed - 6 kts.

Here's some information on Project LOON...

Project LOON

Yeah we see them on the tacking software all the time. makes you wonder if they have a secondary use as an intel gathering platform

I don't think it was a ship launch. You do get data dropout all the time hence an incomplete course log. Plus its moving slow enough that perhaps the tracking software only stores say a day or two worth of tracking data this its unable to give you a full track

a reply to: FredT

I think the answer to that question is a resounding YES.

a reply to: FredT

And there's another one just west of this location too.

Does kind of make you wonder, doesn't it?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk


6 up so far.


Type LOON Into the search field for Flightradar24

Edit: Mod FredT found more

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: FredT

And there's another one just west of this location too.

Does kind of make you wonder, doesn't it?

The second screen shot I posted was from September 26 and over Utah, and its the balloon you spotted in the Atlantic so it shows you have far N726LB has traveled in that time

a reply to: Bigburgh

We do a fair amount of tracking of various stuff so some of those grabs were older.

In particular #2 it shows you how far the balloon moved from September 26th till FCD spotted it over the Atlantic

Now that I'm looking around, there are a bunch of these things all over the place!

There's one out over the Indian Ocean too.

a reply to: FredT



though not for internet access.

I'd imagine since you're flying. I cought this during "DORIAN" headed east over Pittsburgh. An acquaintance from Pittsburgh International Airport ATC told me it came from the National Weather Service. The NWS calls ahead of time to inform ATC so pilots can be cautioned. This particular day they launched one every 4 hours. NWS is 3 miles from the airport.

a reply to: Bigburgh

Great shot! and nice spot

They will usually throw up a NOTAM or notice to airmen
pilotweb.nas.faa.gov...

Process for weather balloon launch
harbor.weber.edu...

Oh lord..Roswell all over again :-P

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
Now that I'm looking around, there are a bunch of these things all over the place!

There's one out over the Indian Ocean too.

Here comes one now..
Registration N252TH

Raining here though.

Edit:JET STREEEEEAM!
200+ MPH

a reply to: FredT

It was around 1pm as I was looking up at a passing aircraft and noticed a star, except this star was moving.
Had the camera zoomed to the max. I couldn't tell you how high it was. By 5pm I was informed of the culprit.

A little known fact, to put this in perspective a bit.

There are 184 weather balloon launches a day in the US alone. These occur twice a day from 92 sites.

www.noaa.gov...

for more information

www.greenskychaser.com...

Worldwide there are 400 balloon launch sites, used twice a day.

One of these is TXKF as seen on the map in the previous link
www.airnav.com...

L F Wade International Airport Hamilton, Bermuda

That launch site seems to fit perfectly with your post.

You can find the coords if you go into the developer console of chrome and go to network and find the network request and go deep into the data, theres array with data for all of the log

Here is the point it was spinning weirdly
33.452763, -63.013824