# Project Loon flies AGAIN? **URL:** \ **Category:** Notable Activity\ **Created:** [February 1, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508 "2023-02-01T22:52:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GulcherSW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/gulchersw/32/114148_2.png) [@GulcherSW](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/GulcherSW)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/1 "2023-02-01T22:52:20Z")
Project Loon balloon up at 64,000 ft altitude, east of Albuquerque, NM (looks like it started in Santa Fe). I thought the program closed a couple years ago. Maybe some agency is using it for something else? > **[HBAL616 Project Loon Flight Tracking and History - FlightAware](https://flightaware.com/live/flight/HBAL616)** > > Flight status, tracking, and historical data for Project Loon 616 (HBAL616) including scheduled, estimated, and actual departure and arrival times. ---
**Author:** ![Frazpo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/frazpo/32/113665_2.png) [@Frazpo](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/Frazpo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 12:43am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/2 "2023-02-04T00:43:41Z")
Wondering this myself. My receiver got it near Tulsa and east. ---
**Author:** ![Jranderson777](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/jranderson777/32/127907_2.png) [@Jranderson777](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/Jranderson777)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 1:01am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/3 "2023-02-04T01:01:51Z")
Maybe that Chinese spy balloon that was reported earlier this week is sending a spoofed ADSB signal! šŸ¤£šŸ¤£ ---
**Author:** ![GulcherSW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/gulchersw/32/114148_2.png) [@GulcherSW](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/GulcherSW)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 4:19am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/4 "2023-02-04T04:19:25Z")
I did some further research, and it seems that the US DoD has a contract to use the Loon Balloons ---
**Author:** ![GulcherSW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/gulchersw/32/114148_2.png) [@GulcherSW](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/GulcherSW)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 4:21am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/5 "2023-02-04T04:21:22Z")
More like the government and the media is pretending that the Loon Balloons are Chinese Spy / WMD balloons. (Or maybe my Tin hat needs another layer of foil.) ---
**Author:** ![pastordavidh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/pastordavidh/32/113400_2.png) [@pastordavidh](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/pastordavidh)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 2:52am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/6 "2023-04-11T02:52:27Z")
Tracked a Loon Balloon at 67K a couple of days ago (04/08/23, mid afternoon) heading east toward Showlow, Arizona - I had not heard of the project and researched it. I think possibly they are being used in another fashion now; doesnā€™t make sense with Starlink up and running. ---
**Author:** ![zoomie38](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/zoomie38/32/126060_2.png) [@zoomie38](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/zoomie38)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 10:26pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/7 "2023-04-12T22:26:37Z")
Thereā€™s an excellent Facebook page and website ā€œStratoCat balloonsā€. Has a lot of current info on high altitude balloons and launches. ---
**Author:** ![CarlNeary](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/carlneary/32/115654_2.png) [@CarlNeary](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/CarlNeary)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/8 "2023-08-28T21:24:09Z")
Just spotted one of these balloons off the north east coast of Newfoundland ![IMG_5332](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/flightaware/original/3X/1/e/1e8de9b8a4e4a46dc5b747486421e95dc885f779.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![GulcherSW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/gulchersw/32/114148_2.png) [@GulcherSW](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/GulcherSW)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/9 "2023-08-28T22:36:26Z")
I wonder if there is anything ā€˜interestingā€™ going on there. As I understand it, the Loon balloons are under contract to the US Department of Defense. ---
**Author:** ![CarlNeary](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/carlneary/32/115654_2.png) [@CarlNeary](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/CarlNeary)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 1:07am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/10 "2023-08-29T01:07:34Z")
Itā€™s traveled out to sea. Maybe this one got away in the jet stream ---
**Author:** ![wizowor](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/wizowor/32/122699_2.png) [@wizowor](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/wizowor)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2024, 2:54am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/11 "2024-07-14T02:54:12Z")
Just picked up HBAL645 hovering over southeast North Dakotaā€¦ ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/flightaware/original/3X/c/f/cf51ee96b83be4a5ba239b06a414acef1e27ac4a.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![GulcherSW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/gulchersw/32/114148_2.png) [@GulcherSW](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/GulcherSW)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2024, 3:09am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/12 "2024-07-14T03:09:18Z")
Yeah, they have been busy lately. There were I think, EIGHT of them up at one time a couple of weeks ago. They are currently under contract to the Department of Defense to conduct ā€˜domestic surveillanceā€™. ---
**Author:** ![MC130E](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/mc130e/32/137074_2.png) [@MC130E](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/MC130E)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2024, 3:09am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/13 "2024-07-14T03:09:31Z")
> [@wizowor](#): > > Just picked up HBAL645 hovering over southeast North Dakotaā€¦ Hi, Thatā€™s not the old Project Loon project, but a different company called Aerostar. Your hex=AC0A9A HBAL645 is N875TH. FAA registration for N875TH: [https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N875TH](https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N875TH) Technically, it is not a registration, but just a ā€œfee paidā€ reservation holding the N-number registration. They are supposed to complete the actual registration before flying, but this company has a history of flying most of their NxxxTH balloons as ā€œfee paidā€ just like this one. Their site has some good info. > **[Aerospace & Defense - Aerostar](https://aerostar.com/)** > > Aerostar provides life-saving solutions to enhance situational awareness and safety. Solving great challenges is at the core of our identity. Aerostar has been flying these since the Project Loon days. A week or two ago, I had a group of 4 of their balloons cross the northern Gulf of Mexico from near Cross City, FL to around Mississippi. Regards, -Dan ---
**Author:** ![MC130E](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discussions.flightaware.com/mc130e/32/137074_2.png) [@MC130E](https://discussions.flightaware.com/u/MC130E)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2024, 3:46am UTC](https://discussions.flightaware.com/t/project-loon-flies-again/86508/14 "2024-07-14T03:46:00Z")
> [@MC130E](#): > > Aerostar has been flying these since the Project Loon days. A week or two ago, I had a group of 4 of their balloons cross the northern Gulf of Mexico from near Cross City, FL to around Mississippi. Hi, I forgot to mention that the ā€œTHā€ in most or all of their FAA registrations likely stands for ThunderHead balloons. From their site: > **[Thunderhead Balloon Systems - Aerostar](https://aerostar.com/products/balloons-airships/thunderhead-balloons)** > > Aerostar provides life-saving solutions to enhance situational awareness and safety. Solving great challenges is at the core of our identity. "Thunderhead Balloon Systems have made long duration and navigational stratospheric missions a proven reality. By leveraging directional wind patterns at high altitudes, Aerostarā€™s Thunderhead Balloon Systems offer groundbreaking capabilities for navigation and persistence over areas of interest. " I did a quick check, and the group that crossed the northern Gulf of Mexico was closer to 3 weeks ago. I then looked up the following sequential registrations, but donā€™t remember if the exact count that went by was greater than just those 5. N871TH N872TH N873TH N874TH N875TH Regards, -Dan