All articles tagged with #weather balloons
Tensions between Lithuania and Belarus have escalated as Belarusian weather balloons, used for cigarette smuggling, have repeatedly forced the closure of Lithuania's main airport, with Lithuania accusing Belarus of a hybrid attack aimed at disrupting its economy and security. Lithuania has responded with security measures and offers to develop technology to counter such disruptions.
Tensions between Lithuania and Belarus have escalated as Belarusian weather balloons, used for cigarette smuggling, have repeatedly disrupted Vilnius airport, leading Lithuania to consider border closures and develop advanced airspace security measures amid accusations of hybrid attacks.
A Utah hobbyist, Ranse Parker, connected the dots between a weather balloon launched by WindBorne Systems and a United Airlines flight that cracked its windshield over Utah, suggesting the balloon may have caused the damage, prompting investigations and safety concerns.
A United Airlines Boeing 737 Max was forced to make an emergency landing after its windshield cracked at 36,000 feet, likely due to a collision with a weather balloon weighing only 2.4 pounds, launched by Windborne Systems, which is under investigation for safety concerns.
A United Airlines plane was struck by a weather balloon, not space debris, as initially speculated. The incident is under investigation by the NTSB, with no fatalities but minor injuries. WindBorne's small, lightweight atmospheric balloons, which gather weather data, are designed to pose minimal risk to aircraft and comply with all regulations, and the company maintains active communication with authorities.
The forecast for a deadly Alaska storm was likely worsened by a lack of weather balloon data caused by federal budget cuts, leading to less accurate predictions and delayed warnings, which contributed to the storm's impact and casualties.
Balloons spotted floating over Southwest Florida have raised questions among residents. The balloons belong to tech company Near Space Labs, which aims to democratize geospatial data and address issues like urbanization and climate change through aerial imagery. The weather balloons capture pictures of the Earth from the sky, and their recent sightings have sparked curiosity and speculation among locals.