[markjenkinswpg]

Not only does the government have the right to destroy it, but so does anyone else.

There's no reasonable expectation of recovery when you launch a balloon calibrated to go globe-trotting.

It's basically no different than the person who abandoned a mattress at my apartment block's dumpster. It's littering. They're giving it away, they're not expecting to be able to come back for it later.

Furthermore, nobody has a right to unregistered, unmanned, long duration balloon flight. Such a right would only exist if a state constructed it for its citizens. (and it would end at their boundaries)

I think it's cool that in practice people have been able to do so, but it seems the cool times are coming to an end.