Balloon seen flying over southeast Wisconsin; what we know

Mystery balloon seen over southeast Wisconsin

It's not a bird or a plane, but FOX6 News got multiple viewer calls throughout the day on Sunday, June 22, about a white-looking balloon flying over southeast Wisconsin.

BROWN DEER, Wis. - It's not a bird or a plane, but FOX6 News got multiple viewer calls throughout the day on Sunday, June 22, about a white-looking balloon flying over southeast Wisconsin.

The National Weather Service was unfamiliar with it, meaning it isn’t a weather balloon.

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So what is it?

What we know:

The balloon is registered with Aerostar, an aerospace and defense company.

Courtesy of Joe Simon

According to their website and social media, the balloons are used for communications, data relay, surveillance, and are even used to fight wildfires.

NASA, Google and the U.S. Air Force have worked with them in the past.

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The launch spot for the balloon was near Sioux Falls, South Dakota last Wednesday, June 18.

What they're saying:

FOX6 reached out to Aerostar and received the following response:

"With more than 65 years of lighter-than-air innovation and expertise, Aerostar is dedicated to connecting, protecting, and saving lives.  Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Aerostar provides world-leading solutions in the aerospace and defense market, focused on stratospheric balloon systems and radar solutions."

"I can verify that Aerostar has a Thunderhead balloon in your area.  Thunderhead Balloon Systems serve various purposes including extending communications across wide distances, environmental monitoring, earth observation, and scientific research." 

"Our balloon systems enable scientific research, restore communications after national disasters, and provide overhead support to firefighters during forest fires."