The better option for intelligence gathering depends on the specific requirements of the mission.
Satellites have the advantage of being able to cover large areas from high altitudes and can gather a vast amount of data in a short time. They are also able to capture high-resolution images and other data using specialized sensors.
High-altitude balloons, on the other hand, can be less expensive to deploy and can be more flexible in terms of where they can fly and what data they can gather. They can also fly at high altitudes for extended periods of time, making them useful for missions that require long-term monitoring.
In summary, each platform has its strengths and weaknesses and the choice of which is better depends on the specific requirements of the mission and the data that needs to be collected.
2. I searched Google to find out how long was the high altitude balloon hovering over the sensitive military base in Montana to gather sensitive data over an extended period of time for long term monitoring.
I found this report.
https://nypost.com/2023/02/03/what-is-the-suspected-chinese-spy-balloon-flying-over-montana/ (American source).
It appeared to be flying all over the place and not hovering over the sensitive Montana military base.
China claimed that the balloon went out of control. This appears credible to me. If it is under control, it would be sensible for China to fly the balloon outside of US airspace, after it is detected. (But some people think that the people in China are irrational and cannot be trusted).
I am not an expert. But my common sense suggest that if the balloon wander about all over the place, like this balloon did, the sensitive data that is gathered is probably not better than the data that can be gathered by a powerful satellite or from the China space station.
America has the right to shoot down the balloon over its territory. But it was probably not necessary and not a friendly act to do.
Tan Kin Lian
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=5636
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