Mysterious White Balloon Sighting: Not Another Spy Balloon

The aerial object was a Raven Aerostar Balloon, formerly from Google's Loon Project.

If you were in the Grand Strand area Monday, you may have witnessed a mysterious white balloon floating across the sky.

The sighting prompted many to wonder if the aerial object was another Chinese spy balloon such as the one the area encountered last year.

It was not another spy balloon, but rather a Raven Aerostar Balloon, formerly from Google’s Loon Project.

These balloons travel along the edge of the atmosphere to enhance and widen internet connectivity in rural areas. They’re designed to travel far distances at high altitudes to collect data.

Through this specific balloons flight, it traveled between 55,000 to 65,000 ft. after it launched from New Mexico around 7am and landed off-shore of the Grand Strand close to 10pm.