“I don’t think we want to get into the business of launching AIM-9Xs — at $400,000 a pop — at weather balloons” abc15
WASHINGTON — As the only current U.S. senator to have visited space, Mark Kelly knows something about unexplained objects in the skies.
While the House and the Senate both voted unanimously to condemn China’s ruling political party for the incursion and largely supported the Biden administration’s decision to shoot down the balloon, they have questions about what’s next. Concerns over China, which has criticized the U.S. for “an obvious overreaction," and worries about interference with civilian aircraft are shared by members of both political parties, creating the potential in Congress to mount a robust bipartisan response. But lawmakers are also mindful of adding yet more military costs — the U.S.
Other lawmakers have launched a flurry of proposals aimed at the skies including a comprehensive examination of encounters with unidentified aerial objects as well as an investigation into how the military is tracking objects floating over the country. China's alleged practice of using balloons for surveillance exploits a potential oversight in air traffic control systems, Kelly said. The systems aren’t designed to track the thousands of objects that move in on high-altitude winds.
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Congress floats ways to secure skies after Chinese balloonAs the only current U.S. senator to have visited space, Mark Kelly knows something about unexplained objects in the skies. Back in his aviator days, Kelly saw Mylar party balloons fly by his cockpit. “I don’t think we want to get into the business of launching AIM-9Xs — at $400,000 a pop — at weather balloons,” Kelly told The Associated Press, referring to the heat-seeking, air-to-air missiles used in recent weeks to shoot down a series of aerial objects, including a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon.
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