"Crews have been able to recover significant debris from the site, including all of the priority sensor and electronics pieces identified as well as large sections of the structure," the US Northern Command said in a statement.
China insists the balloon, which spent several days flying over North America, was an errant weather observation aircraft with no military purpose, but the United States says it was a sophisticated high-altitude spying vehicle that is part of a program with global reach.
A US F-22 Raptor fighter jet shot it down off the coast of South Carolina on February 4, and teams have since been working to recover the debris for analysis.
American warplanes have downed three other objects since then -- one near Alaska, another over Canada and a third over Lake Huron -- but authorities have not identified their origin or purpose.
Beijing tells US to investigate balloons allegedly flown over China
Beijing (AFP) Feb 14, 2023 -
China urged the United States on Tuesday to conduct a "thorough investigation" into what Beijing claims was a string of incursions into its airspace by US balloons.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have nosedived following the shooting down of what the US alleges was a Chinese spy balloon -- China insisted it was an errant weather observation aircraft with no military purpose.
A number of unidentified aerial objects have subsequently been shot down over North America, though the US has not attributed them to China.
On Tuesday, Beijing doubled down on unsubstantiated allegations that the US has sent over 10 balloons since last year.
"The US has launched several high-altitude balloons from the US that made continuous round-the-world flights, illegally flying over the airspace of China and other countries on at least 10 occasions," foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing.
"The US side should conduct a thorough investigation and give an explanation to China," he added.
Wang did not provide evidence of the alleged incursions, which he said started in May 2022.
He previously told journalists the incursions began in January that year.
Washington has denied Beijing's claims that it sent observation devices into Chinese airspace.
The US government alleges the balloon it shot down on February 4 was part of an ongoing, global "fleet" of Chinese espionage balloons.
It says the balloon was obviously a spy craft and that the debris is currently being plucked from the Atlantic Ocean for analysis.
Crews have recovered important sensor and electronics parts from the balloon, as well as large parts of the structure, the US military said Monday.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday the US is "not flying surveillance balloons over China".
"I'm not aware of any other craft that we're flying over into Chinese airspace," he said.
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