A former federal intelligence employee expressed concerns over a high-tech balloon potentially affording full satellite communications coverage of the United States, citing skepticism over a Chinese company’s capability to provide such extensive access. The technology in question closely resembled a 2022 patent granted to researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Aerospace Information Innovation Research Institute in Beijing, an entity known to have ties to the Chinese military. This information was revealed to Newsweek, though the publication did not directly access the report detailing these findings.
The patent, titled “A high-altitude balloon safety control and positioning recovery device and method,” featured a short-burst messaging module known as Iridium 9602, as disclosed by Newsweek. Iridium, a renowned global satellite communications provider, operates from McLean, Virginia, in close proximity to the CIA headquarters. Additionally, the balloon’s communication system incorporated technologies from Iridium, as well as equipment from four other American companies: Texas Instruments, Omega Engineering, Amphenol All Sensors Corporation, and onsemi. Furthermore, the report indicated the presence of equipment sourced from at least one Swiss company in the balloon’s composition, which showcased technologies from a total of five American firms.
Iridium representatives expressed concerns regarding the potential misuse of their technology, emphasizing their lack of control over how their products are procured and utilized. Jordan Hassim, Iridium’s executive director for communications, stressed the company’s disapproval of any unauthorized application of their radios or modules, acknowledging the challenges in monitoring the diverse uses of their technology, which can be obtained online for as little as $150. The balloon met its demise off the coast of South Carolina in February 2023.
The now-destroyed spy aircraft stood at approximately 200 feet tall and carried significant weight, possibly including explosives intended for self-destruction, as previously disclosed by the US North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Despite these alarming details, Chinese officials maintained their stance that the balloon was a harmless weather-research airship that had simply veered off course.
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington DC reiterated this narrative, attributing the incident to unforeseen circumstances and the airship’s limited navigational capabilities. The spokesperson emphasized that the Chinese civilian unmanned airship was engaged in meteorological research and unintentionally drifted into US airspace due to prevailing westerly winds.
