Likewise I know that the atmosphere doesn't end - it just fades away. Compared to parachuting at 20k ft, he is “relatively” unhindered to a huge extent (again considering the audience I was addressing) but there will still be a terminal velocity where drag force equals acceleration due to gravity. IF he reaches his goal - his drag forces will include making a shock wave due to exceeding the local speed of sound.
I know that once a satellite gets down to the “upper fringe” of the atmosphere, the atmospheric drag (as little as it has been) increases rapidly due to the extremely high velocity, and all hell breaks loose!
(How much extra energy goes into the ionization effects? I once saw a space shuttle re-entry at about 3AM near Navasota TX. The orange trail persisted across the entire night sky, until well after the shuttle disappeared into the horizon's haze. WOW was that neat!)
A satellite may have been in really low LEO for weeks, but about 30 minutes after it “hits the fringe”, anything that hasn't vaporized is going to hit the ground (or water) somewhere!
Of course, at its terminal velocity...
Regards rotation - experienced skydivers clearly steer with their arms and hands, legs and feet, and general posture. As soon as there is enough speed to generate some noticeable drag (force), he can hopefully stabilize his fall position. I presume he will try to go headfirst to maximize his terminal velocity.
BUT at near 700+ MPH in the low air pressure environment he will be in - holy mackerel! If he DOES spin up - or something DOES “flutter” - or he tumbles - etc. - he may be pulverized. I totally HOPE not, but the possibility exists.
Best Wishes for good luck to him...
One of the great things about FR is that you never really know who that might be.
Best Wishes for good luck to him...
Agreed. However, he's a base jumper, and to my way of thinking, this may be a less hazardous jump than some he's already undertaken.