US Senators Introduce Legislation to Track, Identify High-Altitude Balloons

U.S. U.S.

Budd and Kelly put forth the SOAR Act following a flurry of U.S. military interventions last month with flying objects in the skies above the nation. The SOAR Act is shorthand for Seeing Objects At Altitude Regularly Act.

On February 4, a U.S. Air Force fighter crashed off the coast South Carolina. It was later discovered to have been a Chinese spy ballon. The balloon had been traveling from Alaska over Canada to the United States, before being intercepted.

China insists that the object that was shot down by the United States was a weather balloon, which had gone off-course.

U.S. fighter jets quickly shot down three additional flying objects on February 10, over the waters of Alaska, February 11 over the Canadian Yukon territory bordering Alaska and February 12 over Lake Huron, near Michigan.

Kelly and Budd are particularly concerned by surveillance balloons.

“The recent shootdown of a Chinese spy balloon that traversed the skies over our country for more than a week highlights the immediate need for the FAA to re-evaluate how we track objects flying over American airspace,” Budd stated this in a joint statement with Kelly.

Kelly stated, “At a time when our adversaries are using hostile surveillance tactics, there is no reason why our country should have to wonder whether an object in our airspace is a threat, weather balloon, or science project.”

Senators might be considered an especially appropriate lawmaking tandem for taking on national security and safety issues.

Mark Kelly, a decorated Navy combat fighter pilot pilot and astronaut, spent more than 50 days in orbit and commanded the Space Shuttle Endeavor during its final mission.

Ted Budd, a private pilot licensee, is the author.

The SOAR Act’s Elements

The SOAR Act provides that the FAA is required to establish the Aviation Rulemaking Committee. This committee will consist of representatives from the aviation industry as well as aviation experts and representatives of the Department of Defense. The ARC would make and recommend recommendations to the FAA to update, improve, and introduce new regulations that the FAA uses for tracking and identifying high-altitude balloons.

The SOAR Act stipulates that high-altitude balloons traveling at greater than 10,000 feet above sealevel must have tracking technology that emits and sends data about the balloon’s altitude, identity, location, and time.

Additionally, the legislation directs FAA to coordinate with the International Civil Aviation Organization. “develop equivalent standards for high-altitude balloons launched elsewhere in the world.”