skydiving from edge of space

# 1 09-10-2012 , 02:24 PM

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Felix Baumgartner is aiming to jump from a higher altitude than anyone ever has -- 120,000 feet (about 23 miles), more than three times the cruising altitude of the average airliner -- with nothing but a space suit, helmet and parachute.

He also hopes to be the first person to break the sound barrier. At that altitude, the thin air provides so little resistance that after just 40 seconds, he is expected to be free-falling faster than 690 miles an hour.

Originally Posted by

due to start at approximately 17:00 GMT if no weather restrictions
they are currently getting the balloon ready for flight

watch a live feed of jump from here:

https://www.redbullstratos.com/live/

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I'm not lazy, I'm just resting before I get tired

Last edited by BeAstMaSter; 09-10-2012 at 03:43 PM. Reason: launch time change

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# 2 09-10-2012 , 04:00 PM

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I've been following this. I get that falling butterfly feeling in my gut just looking at some of the high altitude test flights!

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 09-10-2012 at 04:02 PM.

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# 3 09-10-2012 , 04:27 PM

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was a little disappointed in the 3 delays so far, but I understand, he's at the mercy of the winds .....

sure hope he isn't drinking a bunch of redbull before the launch/jump
be awful messy if he has to take a leak during freefall LMAO

I'm not lazy, I'm just resting before I get tired

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# 4 09-10-2012 , 05:14 PM

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This has to be the worst planned webcast ever! there is no information at all. they keep cutting the feed. The message at the bottom says one thing that contradicts the video feed! lol

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

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# 5 09-10-2012 , 05:34 PM

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countdown has started user added image

still going to take almost 2 hours to reach altitude
can't imagine what his body is going to have to endure on the freefall
and that that speed ..... whoooosh lookout for errant birds user added image

I'm not lazy, I'm just resting before I get tired

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# 6 09-10-2012 , 05:48 PM

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Looks like we will have to wait until tomorrow

Earth: The crazy asylum of the universe.

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# 7 09-10-2012 , 05:58 PM

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oh well.......
dunno about tomorrow, they're gonna try, but weather is supposed to be worse than today

I'm not lazy, I'm just resting before I get tired

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# 8 09-10-2012 , 06:08 PM

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Yeah I doubt it will be tomorrow. They'd have to use the backup balloon and weather is predicted to be worse. But better safe then sorry.

I wish they would post the launch checklist though. As it's boring to watch the feed and not know what is going on. I know many would not have a clue but the engineer in me would like to be informed.

There were a number of factors that borked the launch today, winds, and then a radio malfunction, that delayed the start of balloon inflation which caused them to miss a small window of opportunity to launch. But the balloon and helium are expensive so they cannot be blamed for being cautious.

looking forward to seeing the revised countdown clock.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

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# 9 14-10-2012 , 01:55 PM

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If anyone is awake, he's trying it again today
winds are a little breezy, but if they calm down, launch should happen within next 2 hours

I'm not lazy, I'm just resting before I get tired

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# 10 14-10-2012 , 02:04 PM

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yep I am watching it

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

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# 11 14-10-2012 , 02:40 PM

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I wish him all the best but to be honest, too many things can go wrong ..........

The pressurized suit is only guaranteed to handle temps of 100 F,
once he reaches the thicker atmosphere during freefall, temps will definitely be a factor

too many knick knacks/hoses/cameras/test equipment pieces attached to suit
at hypersonic/supersonic speeds a simple pin hole will cause the suit to rip off
and his blood/body tissue could just evaporate at those speeds user added image

the pressurized suit/helmet are going to severely limit his mobility ....
they've started a little game where the readers guess where his landing zone might be user added image

but, if all goes well, the science benefits greatly from all the info gathered

I'm not lazy, I'm just resting before I get tired

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# 12 14-10-2012 , 03:01 PM

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but, if all goes well, the science benefits greatly from all the info gathered

Originally Posted by BeAstMaSter

Not to mention, everyone will be drinking a lot more Red Bull user added image

Great mission though, thanks for the reminder let's hope it all goes well.

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# 13 14-10-2012 , 03:37 PM

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yay! he's off
gonna take 2-3 hours to get to final altitude
I hope they live stream from his suit cameras during freefall

they say there's over 100 million viewers streaming the jump user added image

I'm not lazy, I'm just resting before I get tired

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# 14 14-10-2012 , 03:44 PM

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Breaking news!

wind speeds have picked up, he's now expected to land somewhere in Australia
where the authorities will be waiting to arrest him due to not having a passport or approved entry Visa user added image

I'm not lazy, I'm just resting before I get tired

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# 15 14-10-2012 , 04:09 PM

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Lol. Been watching this a few hours now waiting for something to happen, got SO excited for the launch, and I'm already SO bored of this announcer trying to make it interesting to watch the climb

A small (%50) part of me wants to see him just explode the second he breaks the sound barrier. The rest of me wants him to make it user added image

EDIT: Anyone else happen to be watching on Opera? The live feed on the RedbullStratos site doesn't work for me, but the direct Youtube feed does, any ideas?

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skydiving from edge of space

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