Widebody; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 12.3
Workload; Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Inflight Event / Encounter Object; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Procedure; Weather
I was working sector 65 (340B999) with quite a bit of weather and LAX 20 MIT. Aircraft X was at FL390 filed BLH.J65.PXR...; putting them on a route due west of PHX traveling eastbound. Over KOFFA intersection; the pilot reported passing a balloon at about their altitude. They said it was a scientific balloon with a payload. They didn't see it until they were passing it and said they passed it very quickly. They said they were close enough to it that they could actually see the lanyard extending from the balloon to the payload. They estimated they passed within 1000 feet of the balloon. I vectored everyone else south of the balloon's reported location. I had another aircraft heading to a fix south of KOFFA and they said they saw the balloon about five miles away at about FL365; putting it in about the same location of KOFFA. No one else saw the balloon; but I probably vectored about half dozen aircraft south of KOFFA since the wind was heading northbound. I was fairly busy with weather deviations; though I abandoned trying to get the 20 MIT to LAX since I was busy and none of the flows were working anyways. When I told the FLMs (there were two; one being relieved); they said they knew nothing about it. I assume they reported it to the OM to do an MOR; but I didn't hear anything again after I left.I'm not sure what the FARs say about balloons; but notification into the PCA should be a prerequisite. If it isn't; the FARs need to be changed.
ZAB Controller reports of a balloon sighting reported by a pilot. Controller issues unknown traffic and tries to avoid the area with the balloon for other traffic. Controller reports information to the Front Line Manager.