China's massive spy balloon is getting close to the East Coast, recently spotted in the skies over North Carolina:

According to ABC News, citing "a senior U.S. official familiar with the situation," the U.S. might shoot it down once it's over the Atlantic and retrieve it.

As the balloon appears to be heading toward North Carolina, the current thinking is to wait until it is over the Atlantic Ocean to then try to shoot it down and retrieve it, according to a senior U.S. official familiar with the situation.

There is too great a risk to try to shoot it down over the continental U.S., the official said. Since the U.S. wants to keep the balloon to study it, and there are otherwise risks of an international incident, U.S. officials are working on plans to shoot it down so that it also lands in U.S. territorial waters, the official said.

A substantial localized airspace shutdown will likely be required in order to protect civilians while the U.S. tries to down the balloon, which is likely being navigated via Chinese spy satellites, the official said.

Is it time for the Space Force to do its thing?

UPDATE: Heads up!

UPDATE 2: WATCH LIVE: