Suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down over Atlantic was taller than the Statue of Liberty

The Department of Defense on Monday revealed the size of the suspected Chinese spy balloon that the U.S. shot down over the Atlantic Ocean this weekend – and it turns out it was bigger than the Statue of Liberty. The balloon is believed to have been up to 200 feet tall, officials said, a height taller than New York's iconic monument, which measures just over 151 feet tall from the top of its base to its torch.

The balloon, which officials said was carrying surveillance equipment the size of two to three school buses, was shot down over the weekend after it had been seen flying over the U.S. for several days. It was taken out of the air space at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, officials told CBS News, with a single air-to-air missile over the Atlantic Ocean off of South Carolina's coast. 

Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, revealed Monday that the actual balloon was up to 200 feet tall and that it was carrying a payload the size of a jet airliner.