WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - A Chinese spy balloon that was shot down by the U.S. in February carried solar panels that could generate enough electricity to power a type of radar that can generate images at night and through clouds, the Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing leaked U.S. intelligence documents. The balloon caused an uproar in Washington and damaged U.S.-China ties when it flew over the U.S. in January and February. According to the NGA document, the balloon could generate up to 10,000 watts of solar power, more than enough to operate a sophisticated surveillance system known as synthetic aperture radar, the Post said. That type of radar can return images at night and can penetrate clouds and thin materials such as tarps to show objects beneath, the newspaper reported. The balloon also had a parabolic dish measuring 1.2 meters in diameter, several unidentified sensors and a possible mast antenna, the Post said.

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