After a week adrift, a surveillance balloon from China has been deflated. Here's what we know about the suspect device and its mission.

Katherine Tangalakis-LippertFeb 5, 2023, 11:41 IST

Getty Images

The United States on Saturday shot down a balloon officials said was a Chinese surveillance device.
The balloon had been spotted floating over the US and parts of Canada this week.

The United States on Saturday shot down a balloon spotted floating over the nation and parts of Canada this week that officials said was a Chinese surveillance device.

While China maintains the balloon was a civilian airship "used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes," Pentagon officials say it was "being used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States."

Though the balloon has since been shot down by F22 fighter jets, it captured the country's attention for days with questions of national security and international relations. Below is a timeline of the balloon's journey over the country and what is known about its mission.

On Tuesday, January 31, a massive, high-altitude balloon was spotted over the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.

A map of North America with an arrow pointing to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, where the Chinese surveillance balloon was first spotted.Getty Images

The balloon was equipped with a "large payload underneath the surveillance component," Pentagon officials say.

A balloon flies in the sky over Billings, Montana, on February 1, 2022.Chase Doak/via REUTERS

On Wednesday, February 1, the balloon made its way across Canada, being spotted in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

A map of North America, with arrows pointing to Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, where the Chinese surveillance balloon was seen floating.Getty Images

Thursday, February 2 was the first time United States officials acknowledged they were tracking the balloon, which had been sighted floating over Billings, Montana.

A map of North America, with arrows pointing to Billings, Montana where the Chinese surveillance balloon was seen floating.Getty Images

By Friday, February 3, the balloon had made its way across the central United States, being spotted in Kansas City, Missouri.

A map of North America, with arrows pointing to Kansas City, Missouri where the Chinese surveillance balloon was seen on FridayGetty Images

On Friday, a second balloon was spotted over Latin America, according to Pentagon officials.

A map of Central America, with arrows pointing to Costa Rica and Colombia, where a second Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted Friday.Getty Images

The first balloon ultimately made it to the Atlantic coast, near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where it was shot down on Saturday, February 4.

A map of North America, with arrows pointing to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where the Chinese surveillance balloon was shot down on Saturday.Getty Images

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