Posted on 10/09/2012 5:33:50 AM PDT by Katya
The Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner will attempt to become the first human to break the sound barrier unaided by a vehicle.
He is going to jump out of a balloon at more than 120,000ft (36.5km) above Roswell, New Mexico.
In the near vacuum at that altitude, he should accelerate beyond about 690mph (1,110km/h) within 40 seconds.
If all goes well, he will open a parachute near the ground to land softly in the desert, 10 minutes later.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
on weather hold.....
happening in less than an hour!
am wondering if their countdown clock is accurate then? They’re still saying less than one hour. http://www.redbullstratos.com/
Pushed back to around 9:30am Eastern because of high winds.
Suicidal? Let’s hope he survives with no injuries.
Proof positive that someone has way more guts or way less intelligence than I do.
I don't know. I've got to give Kittinger the "brassballs" award for jumping out of an unpressurized gondola at 100,000ft 50+ YEARS ago!
Ok, not supersonic and 120,000 ft for Baumgartner, but Kittinger survived a flat spin at 22 g's in an early test flight. Gak!
Supersonic in 21st century spacesuit pales next to a guy who took a step out of that basket with 50's technology!
(Oh, and Kittinger ended up surviving the Hanoi Hilton....)
Hope he doesn’t lose his heat shield!
He’s nuts.
If he is after fame, no one will remember his name before, during, and after his success or failure.
"...those home fries and scrambled eggs with rye toast had better wait for me"
“Proof positive that someone has way more guts or way less intelligence than I do.”
Same here... I don’t think I could step out but I know I would love the view!!!
I think Kittinger is advising Baumgartner on this jump!
I predict his family will be attending his funeral early next week.
Every bio about Kittinger that I have read, indicates he is the first one to break the sound barrier without an airplane around him, on the jump from over 100,000 feet.
I think that’s why they have video cameras :)
As of Tuesday 2:14 p.m. GMT/UTC
He has already made a jump from 17 miles so we are talking another Six miles higher - which isn’t Eight Miles High.
Will his contrail be visible? :)
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