Red Bull Stratos - Anyone following this? 120,000ft skydive

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Oct 1, 2004
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Red Bull Stratos, a mission to the edge of space, will attempt to transcend human limits that have existed for 50 years. Supported by a team of experts Felix Baumgartner plans to ascend to 120,000 feet in a stratospheric balloon and make a freefall jump rushing toward earth at supersonic speeds before parachuting to the ground. His attempt to dare atmospheric limits holds the potential to provide valuable medical and scientific research data for future pioneers.

The Red Bull Stratos team brings together the world's leading minds in aerospace medicine, engineering, pressure suit development, capsule creation and balloon fabrication. It includes retired United States Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger, who holds three of the records Felix will strive to break.

Joe's record jump from 102,800 ft in 1960 was during a time when no one knew if a human could survive a jump from the edge of space. Joe was a Captain in the U.S. Air Force and had already taken a balloon to 97,000 feet in Project ManHigh and survived a drogue mishap during a jump from 76,400 feet in Excelsior I. The Excelsior III mission was his 33rd parachute jump.

Although researching extremes was part of the program's goals, setting records wasn't the mission's purpose. Joe ascended in helium balloon launched from the back of a truck. He wore a pressurized suit on the way up in an open, unpressurized gondola. Scientific data captured from Joe's jump was shared with U.S. research personnel for development of the space program. Today Felix and his specialized team hope to take what was learned from Joe's jumps more than 50 years ago and press forward to test the edge of the human envelope.If you're interested, here's the live stream

It's possible that by the end of today, a human will have broken the sound barrier assisted only by gravity.

This is a link to the live feed
http://www.youtube.com/user/redbull?feature=results_main
 
It's possible that by the end of today, a human will have broken the sound barrier assisted only by gravity.

Oh, if he jumps, he'll for sure break the sound barrier.

Just, will he live once it's done or will he create a new crater for us all to talk about?
 
That was awesome. I was kind of scared for a moment when he got into that spin, whether his chute would deploy, or if he'd lose consciousness. Glad to see he made it back to terraferma okay.
 
Welp, he made it. That had to be one hell of a ride. Didn't know this before, but 65 years ago today, Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier (albiet, in an airplane).

And this little fact.. Fucking wow.

The balloon being used is light and translucent. The material is only .0008 of an inch thick, one-tenth as thick as a sandwich bag, and it will change shape and size as it rises.
 
Welp, he made it. That had to be one hell of a ride. Didn't know this before, but 65 years ago today, Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier (albiet, in an airplane).

And this little fact.. Fucking wow.

Yeah, that thing looked like it was going to pop when he got to altitude. :omy:
 
I can just see him in a bar one day.

"Dude, dude. My body once fell for like 20 miles."

"Yeah? Who gives a shit?"
 
how did he screw up the timing on getting the longest free fall record? pretty fucking retarded

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some are speculating he did it on purpose to allow kittinger to keep that part of the record. He worked extremely closely with kittinger on this so it's quite plausible.