Skydiver attempts to break sound barrier

[Code Talker]

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ni inum ba kaha ni cya redbull for the jump?

[Motownkid]

ni inum ba kaha ni cya redbull for the jump?

Yes coz Redbull gives you wings..Hehe

Almost there! Just 3 miles to go before the jump! Hope he doesn't lit on fire lol

[Motownkid]

There it is.. He just broke the sound speed at 729 MPH free fall from 128,000 feet..

This guy has balls of steel..

[i_the_mighty]

all I can say is WOW! I'm freeeee.... free fallin'.....

[chagorio]

geronimo!!!

[Biscuitoy]

Red Bull gives you wiiings

[lhorenzoo]

The 43-year-old Austrian achieved the fastest ever freefall speed at 706 miles per hour


Los Angeles: Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner broke the sound barrier during his jump from the edge of space Sunday, but he did not set a new record for the longest freefall, a mission spokeswoman told AFP.

The 43-year-old Austrian achieved the fastest ever freefall speed at 1,137 kilometres per hour during the 4 minutes and 19 seconds of descent from an altitude of 128,097 feet, said spokeswoman Sarah Anderson.

He was bidding to break records set over 50 years ago by Joseph Kittinger, now a retired US Air Force colonel who made a freefall jump from 31,333 metres in 1960. Kittinger was part of Baumgartner's backup team.

Citing preliminary figures, she said the whole jump lasted nine minutes and three seconds, including 4 minutes and 44 seconds after he deployed his parachute to float down to earth in the New Mexico desert.


Baumgartner had hoped to be in freefall for more than five minutes before opening his chute, and had also expected to jump from a lower altitude - 120,000 feet.

The reason for the shorter than expected freefall was not immediately clear, although live commentary during the unprecedented leap suggested he opened his parachute at an altitude above the 5,000 feet level announced in advance.

Baumgartner floated down to Earth on a red and white parachute canopy, which he had opened after reaching speeds of more than 700 miles per hour in freefall.

Perfect landing

Mission control erupted in cheers as Baumgartner made a near-perfect jump from a capsule hoisted aloft by a giant helium-filled balloon to an altitude of around 128,000 feet.

"Sometimes you have [go] up really high to [realize] how small you are," Baumgartner said shortly before he jumped, watched in live footage beamed around the world.

He had taken more than two hours to get up to the jump altitude. Baumgartner had already broken one record, before he even leapt: the previous highest altitude for a manned balloon flight was 113,740 feet, set in 1961.

The Austrian had been due to jump from 120,000 feet, but the balloon went higher than expected, to more than 39 kilometres.

The Red Bull Stratos mission was the second attempt for the skydiver after an initial bid last week was aborted at the last minute due to winds.

Many risks

The biggest risk Baumgartner faced was spinning out of control, which could exert G forces and make him lose consciousness. A controlled dive from the capsule was essential, putting him in a head-down position to increase speed.

More gruesomely, the skydiver's blood could have boiled if there were the slightest tear or crack in his pressurized spacesuit-like outfit, due to instant depressurization at the extreme altitude.


Temperatures of 90 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (minus 68 Celsius) could also have had unpredictable consequences if his suit somehow failed.

The leap went off flawlessly though there was a minor problem as the capsule ascended: a heater failed on Baumgartner's helmet faceplate, meaning it was becoming fogged up when he exhaled.

After considering the options they decided to go ahead with the jump.

Baumgartner's 100-strong backup team includes retired US Air Force colonel Joe Kittinger, who had held one of the records he was trying to break: the highest freefall jump, which he made from 31,333 metresers) in 1960.

"Let the guardian angel take care of you," Kittinger told Baumgartner shortly before he leapt into the void.

The giant balloon - which holds 30 million cubic feet of helium - is needed to carry the Red Bull Stratos capsule, which weighs nearly 1.3 tons, to the stratosphere.

It is made of near transparent polyethylene strips even thinner than a dry cleaner bag, which are heat-sealed together. Very thin material is necessary to save weight.

The Austrian has been training for five years for the jump. He holds several previous records, notably with spectacular base jumps from the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Speaking before the launch, Baumgartner said he would be proud to be the first person to break the speed of sound in freefall.

"But really, I know that part of this entire experience will help make the next pressure suit safer for space tourists and aviators," the jumper pointed out.

Sunday's launch coincided with the 65th anniversary of American pilot Chuck Yeager breaking the speed of sound.


Congratulations, truly a remarkable Feat....



Austrian skydiver broke sound barrier: spokeswoman | GulfNews.com

[reptoid]

That, right there... is some scary ****!

[æRLO]

Curahee!

next up to the mesosphere and beyond!

[diatabz]

Found myself holding my breath when Baumgartner stepped out of the door and stood on his little deck. Man has two large brass opes.