What We Know About the Flying Objects Shot Down Over North America

A suspected Chinese spy balloon drifts toward the ocean after being shot down off the South Carolina coast in Surfside Beach, S.C., on Feb. 4, 2023. Randall Hill/Reuters

The U.S. military has shot down four flying objects over North American airspace over the past eight days. Three of the objects remain unidentified as of late Sunday, and were separately shot down within three days. The latest unidentified object was shot down on Sunday over Michigan’s Lake Huron.

Here’s what we know so far about these four objects:

Feb. 4: Chinese Spy Balloon Shot Down

The first object was initially reported as unidentified until U.S. officials said it was a Chinese surveillance balloon. The White House and Pentagon said the balloon had violated U.S. sovereignty by entering American airspace without permission.