WATCH LIVE 10/9: 8:30am EST - Record Skydive from 23 miles up [UPDATE: SUCCESS!!]

[DisgruntledVirus]

I think highest parachute jump is really the key one. Especially paired with fastest fall. Nothing about the 1960 jump is really better when you have those two things.

Why don't be get people into orbit this way? Seems like it would take a lot less energy to have a couple rockets on that thing to get it into orbit, as opposed to lifting a shuttle the first 120k

The ISS orbits at around 300 miles higher up then he jumped from...

 

[Farang]

The ISS orbits at around 300 miles higher up then he jumped from...

But it seems like a balloon would save a lot of fuel.. I'd imagine the first 120k feet are the hardest to power through with rockets

 

[BUTCH1]

and fastest freefall

You ain't shittin, when he jumped it the acceleration was insane, it looked like he had a jet-pack shooting him straight down, that guy's got balls as big as church bells to do that!..

 

[BoomerD]

You clearly don't know the definitions of "craft", sir.

C.R.A.F.T.

Another term for "Old-timer's disease...

Can't Remember A Fucking Thing...

 

[Ichinisan]

You clearly don't know the definitions of "craft", sir.

You clearly do not understand sarcasm, sir.

 

[-Slacker-]

I think highest parachute jump is really the key one. Especially paired with fastest fall. Nothing about the 1960 jump is really better when you have those two things.

Why don't be get people into orbit this way? Seems like it would take a lot less energy to have a couple rockets on that thing to get it into orbit, as opposed to lifting a shuttle the first 120k

A rocket would probably need to reach a much higher altitude than 24mi to maintain a even a somewhat decent orbit, because at 24mi the air is still too thick to plow through at mach 30 ... and jumping from such an altitude would probably accelerate you at speeds where your suit starts to burn off because of the intense drag ... hell it takes special aerodynamics and materials for planes to even maintain entry level hypersonic speeds.

 

[BUTCH1]

I think highest parachute jump is really the key one. Especially paired with fastest fall. Nothing about the 1960 jump is really better when you have those two things.

Why don't be get people into orbit this way? Seems like it would take a lot less energy to have a couple rockets on that thing to get it into orbit, as opposed to lifting a shuttle the first 120k

It's ideal for small payloads, but seeing the size of that balloon one big enough to lift a shuttle would be of unmanageable size and then the amount of helium needed would be to much so hydrogen would have to be used, bad things can happen with hydrogen, really bad..

 

[AlienCraft]

C.R.A.F.T.

Another term for "Old-timer's disease...

Can't Remember A Fucking Thing...

Somebody call?

 

[consolibyte]

Why don't be get people into orbit this way? Seems like it would take a lot less energy to have a couple rockets on that thing to get it into orbit, as opposed to lifting a shuttle the first 120k

Because you can't. At some height the weight of the helium equals the weight of the air/atmosphere outside, and the balloon stops rising. That height is well, well below the altitude necessary to get into orbit.

 

[Ichinisan]

I think highest parachute jump is really the key one. Especially paired with fastest fall. Nothing about the 1960 jump is really better when you have those two things.

Why don't be get people into orbit this way? Seems like it would take a lot less energy to have a couple rockets on that thing to get it into orbit, as opposed to lifting a shuttle the first 120k

Maybe the fuel is too heavy for this to be worthwhile?

 

[Ichinisan]

Because you can't. At some height the weight of the helium equals the weight of the air/atmosphere outside, and the balloon stops rising. That height is well, well below the altitude necessary to get into orbit.

He was saying to launch conventional rockets from that altitude to save fuel.

 

[techs]

 

[-Slacker-]

Apparently the speed of sound at ~29km above ground at 48c is ~ 1080kph, according with the x-43A flight... he would probably need to be lower than that when and if he broke the sound barrier, but his built in equipment clocked him at some 1170 kph at some point so, unless it was going haywire, I'm optimistic about the official results.

 

[mizzou]

why did the mission control guy remind me of the Texan from Robot Jox?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUxDmKFCD2o

 

[BUTCH1]

Nice, look how far away he is at 3 seconds, insane!..

 

[dennilfloss]

From Joss Whedon:

 

[AgentUnknown]

They should have gave him a helmet cam. That would be awesome. Thanks to OP for posting this. Nice way to wake up on a sunday and watch a man defy death.

 

[SKORPI0]

They should have gave him a helmet cam.T That would be awesome. Thanks to OP for posting this. Nice way to wake up on a Sunday and watch a man defy death.

Not sure why they didn't put one. But there are 3 in the suit, no live feed though.
Hopefully there will be videos uploaded later on.

Looks like he only reached 729 mph.

 

[lupi]

Hope they had his onboard talk recorded cause you really couldn't understand much when he was near max altitude.

 

[raasco]

Pretty damn cool, but Kittinger was one crazy bastard.

http://airandspace.si.edu/imagedetail.cfm?imageID=2783

 

[RaistlinZ]

I have no idea how much it costs to do this, but I hope he jumps again to break his own record some day.

 

[Rudee]

You clearly do not understand sarcasm, sir.

Trying to back pedal now. lol.

 

[ghost recon88]

Press conference feed is on now

 

[raasco]

833.9mph

 

[slightlyhuman]

damn it. i've been at a family reunion and missed it(no cell service). any one have any links worth watching?