Object strike at FL 262

[Dimitrii]

Couldn't be that thing. . .

It says right on it that it is Harmless.

[pattern_is_full]

The radome probably just collapsed due internal structural failure.

Possible. When a dome undergoes an inversion under stress, as this radome did, the process is called "snap-through", and can produce a substantial "thump" even if there is no collision with a specific object, just failure under a continuous load (airstream.) The thump can easily give the impression of an actual impact.

Just making an engineering point - I have no opinion yet as to what happened here.

[lomapaseo]

The air loads are miniscule compared to object strikes and handling, including leaning on it.

I'm afraid that it had some help other just going poof in the night

[ChrisJ800]

There are other items carried by ballons than just Met packages, eg Google Loons for airborne wifi: Project Loon | Google Balloons Offer Free Wi-Fi, Internet | Photos

[atakacs]

was there ever an official report on this one ?