Just now tracking a contact on flightradar24, and the data given is not the usual. The location is the southern Black Hills of S. D.
Aircraft designation is HBALO175, N254TH, altitude 81,600 ft., ground speed varies 15 or 16 kts., track 278 degrees.
Balloon of some type?

Just after July 4th (I'll get the exact days sooner), you can track N190TC from Grand Forks, ND, to the UK.

Should take about 18 - 22 hours.

Interesting.

https://www.flightradar24.com/HBAL0175/1ced43d8

SHHHHHHH...

Found this looking up N254TH, but when it was flying do not think it made it to 81,000 ft. or anywhere near. Also think that it's stall speed was above 15kts. though it may have tried that before the picture?
http://wiki.velocityoba.com/in...title=Holland_N254TH

quote:

Originally posted by Snapping Twig:
Interesting.

https://www.flightradar24.com/HBAL0175/1ced43d8

On the free subscription you can see its track back to Platte, Neb. Interesting track obviously following the wind, given the N-S zig zags etc.

Gotta be a balloon eh?

It's on Flightaware: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N254TH

Operator is listed as Project Loon: https://x.company/loon/
Balloon powered internet for everyone

Obviously the poor Velocity was taken off the FAA registry, and the N number re-assigned.

It's a stratospheric balloon. Raven Aerospace.

Google is the money behind these projects, and they're all over the globe. There's been a lunch station in Winnemucca, NV, for the last few years, and I've seen a number of them launched. It's quite an operation, run by an all-marine crew.