The US was abuzz last week when news spread of a Chinese spy balloon drifting through the stratosphere, 60,000 feet above Montana. President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation and immediately wanted to take it down, however, by then, it was too late as the debris form the balloon posed a threat to many American cities and towns along its path.

The massive white orb, carrying a dangerously large payload, had been detected by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on January 28th as it flew from Alaska into Canada and eventually back towards the US. Although NORAD had previously witnessed Chinese spy balloons, this one was different. It was judged to be both an intelligence risk and a physical threat.

With this information, an F-22 fighter jet was sent to intercept and fire a heat-seeking missile, ultimately causing the balloon to crash into the Atlantic Ocean. This week-long journey had far reaching diplomatic