High altitude balloons over America

[Box Brownie]

I noticed on Flight Radar24 there are 3 of the aforementioned balloons, they all start with designation HBAL

Googling reveals that a programme has been running on & off since I think 2019 and that they are steerable and can hold station and it seems can carry an unusually high payload weight!

PS they are @ 55,200, 61,000 & 66,200 feet.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Googling reveals that a programme has been running on & off since I think 2019 and that they are steerable and can hold station and it seems can carry an unusually high payload weight!

Are these the "Thunderhead" balloons that came out of Project Loon? https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...-lingering-off-the-coasts-of-the-u-s-recently

 

[Box Brownie]

Are these the "Thunderhead" balloons that came out of Project Loon? https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...-lingering-off-the-coasts-of-the-u-s-recently

Appears to be, the Loon project was one reference I found.

 

[andya700]

I saw them yesterday and wondered what it was all about.