The most alarming theory under consideration by some U.S. officials is that the objects are sent by China or another power in an attempt to learn more about American radar or early warning systems.

A senior administration official said one theory — and the person stressed that it is just a theory — is that China or Russia sent the objects to test American intelligence-gathering capabilities. They could be sent to learn both how quickly the United States becomes aware of an intrusion and how quickly the military can respond to such an incursion, the official said.

American officials are united in their belief that the spy balloon that transited the United States was a Chinese machine meant to conduct surveillance on American military bases. Officials said it was unclear if China had complete control of the balloon during its whole journey. But officials said China did have at least a limited ability to steer it, and the balloon maneuvered on Feb. 3 before it was shot down the next day.

Another American official said the Chinese spy balloon was equipped with a self-destruct mechanism, but Beijing did not use it, a potential sign that Chinese officials wanted to continue to collect intelligence, even after it was discovered.

Am I the only one who is wierded out about the fact that there were three objects recently shot down (after the Chinese balloon last week) and it seems no one can definitely categorize what those objects were: balloon, drone, missile, rocket, jet, plane? I read one report where one was the size of a car and one that was cylindrical in shape and one report said that the military didn't even know what kind of propulsion system was being used to keep the object aloft. That last statement is enough to have anyone's head spinning.
 
I would think that our collective intelligence gathering would be able to tell us if there was another country with the technological know-how capable of creating these bizarre craft, but all seems silent on that front. Sure, China seems the easy answer given the balloon incident, but would it make sense for China to send an additional three objects into North American airspace just to see if they would be shot down too... and as a result provide significant technological intel to us through an examination of the debris of these additional objects? Would that really make much sense?  I know that Schumer has said that he thinks they were all balloons. Has anyone ever had to really "think" when something is a balloon or not?  

Am I the only one who is wierded out about the fact that there were three objects recently shot down (after the Chinese balloon last week) and it seems no one can definitely categorize what those objects were: balloon, drone, missile, rocket, jet, plane? I read one report where one was the size of a car and one that was cylindrical in shape and one report said that the military didn't even know what kind of propulsion system was being used to keep the object aloft. That last statement is enough to have anyone's head spinning.
 
I would think that our collective intelligence gathering would be able to tell us if there was another country with the technological know-how capable of creating these bizarre craft, but all seems silent on that front. Sure, China seems the easy answer given the balloon incident, but would it make sense for China to send an additional three objects into North American airspace just to see if they would be shot down too... and as a result provide significant technological intel to us through an examination of the debris of these additional objects? Would that really make much sense?  I know that Schumer has said that he thinks they were all balloons. Has anyone ever had to really "think" when something is a balloon or not?