Come
next Monday October 8th, a record-breaking skydiver, Felix Baumgartner backed
by a team of world-leading scientists, will take a stratospheric balloon flight
to 120,000 feet/36,576 meters above the Earth’s surface and jump.
The
mission is dubbed: “RED BULL STRATOS”
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.
Felix
could potentially break four world records: - Reaching supersonic speed in
freefall (breaking the sound barrier); Highest manned balloon flight; Longest
freefall, and Freefall from highest altitude.
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hmmm...they are on the extream side of the adventure, and i just wonder the number of days or hours it will take him to fall to the earth.
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