
US military shoots down Chinese surveillance balloon
An F-22 fighter jet destroyed a Chinese balloon with a Sidewinder missile on Saturday (Feb. 4) when the airship was over the Atlantic Ocean off the South Carolina coast.
Military forces have a long association with spaceflight, with modern rockets evolving from missiles developed during World War II. Today's armed forces rely on space-based assets for reconnaissance, weather tracking, communication, navigation and more. The U.S. Air Force regularly launches GPS and missile-defense tracking satellites, and operates two classified X-37B robotic space planes. Learn more about military satellites, space weapon, the Space Force and more here.
Related Topics: NASA