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  Red Bull Stratos: Felix Baumgartner's 'spacedive' (Page 1)

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Author Topic:   Red Bull Stratos: Felix Baumgartner's 'spacedive'
mmmoo
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posted 01-22-2010 12:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mmmoo   Click Here to Email mmmoo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
BBC News reports that Austrian extreme sportsman Felix Baumgartner says his next goal is to try to break the long-standing record for the highest ever parachute jump.
It is 50 years since the American Joe Kittinger made history by leaping from a balloon at 102,800ft (31km).

Many have sought to repeat the feat down the decades but all have failed.

Baumgartner, who is famous for stunts such as jumping off the Petronas Towers, aims to skydive from a balloon sent to at least 120,000 ft (37km).

Gilbert
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posted 01-22-2010 08:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gilbert   Click Here to Email Gilbert     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Col. Kittinger was on NBC's Today show this morning along with Felix Baumgartner, who will attempt to break his record.

music_space
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posted 01-23-2010 07:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for music_space   Click Here to Email music_space     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A question, now: will the jumper indeed reach the speed of sound?

I mean, what is the speed of sound in the atmospheric conditions, in terms of pressure and temperature, in which the max. speed of the jump will be reached?

Robert Pearlman
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posted 01-26-2010 07:33 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From MSNBC's Cosmic Log:
"Within the first 30 seconds, I'm going to reach the speed of sound," [Felix] Baumgartner said.
Also of possible interest...
...the pressure suit is being developed by David Clark Co., which has also helped create spacesuits for NASA and high-altitude suits for the U.S. military. The company's work on Baumgartner's giant leap could well carry over to the creation of NASA's next spacesuit.

nasamad
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posted 01-26-2010 10:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for nasamad   Click Here to Email nasamad     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Nice to see Kittinger on the interviews looking so great and I love his philosophy on someone possibly taking his record, "Records are made to be broken."

Robert Pearlman
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posted 10-14-2010 07:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
CNET: Supersonic freefall bid put on hold
Felix Baumgartner's quest to achieve a supersonic parachute jump has run into some legal turbulence.

Energy drinks maker Red Bull, which is sponsoring the effort, said today that it is stopping the program "with immediate effect" pending the outcome of a "multimillion dollar lawsuit" filed earlier this year by a man claiming certain rights to the project...

Red Bull's terse statement today focused on that historic achievement:

Despite the fact that many other people over the past 50 years have tried to break Colonel (Ret.) Joe Kittinger's record, and that other individuals have sought to work with Red Bull in an attempt to break his record, Mr. Hogan claims to own certain rights to the project and filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit earlier this year in a Californian court. Red Bull has acted appropriately in its prior dealings with Mr. Hogan, and will demonstrate this as the case progresses.
That "Mr. Hogan" is apparently one Daniel Hogan, who reportedly pitched Red Bull on a similar skydiving idea in 2004. Red Bull declined to offer any further specifics.

Philip
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posted 10-26-2010 01:51 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Philip   Click Here to Email Philip     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
French ex-Army Colonel Michel Fournier tried this in 2008 but had technical difficulties and the weather didn't co-operate.

He'll try again.

SpaceAholic
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posted 02-08-2012 08:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A look at the specially designed David Clark spacesuit that will be used to support dare devil Felix Baumgartner's record breaking 23 mile altitude parachute jump.

Jay Chladek
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posted 02-08-2012 08:28 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Nice! Looks like it is heavily based on the S-1030 to 1034 series of suits (originally designed for the SR-71 and U-2R aircraft) but with a modified chute harness setup from the shuttle ACES suit.

Given the similarity to the old Dave Clark Gemini suit, I am actually tempted now to consider modifying one of my Revell 1/12 scale Gemini astronaut kits into Felix's suit. It doesn't look all that difficult to do as a lot of exterior bits have thermal covers over them.

Of course, one of the pictures in this article is pretty telling as to the family tree of the suit as you can see an "old gold" Air Force S-1034 suit with a shuttle era S-1032 LES suit hanging behind it (complete with NASA "wurm" patch in red and white). I am curious to know if this is a full pressure suit or a partial pressure suit though.

Jay Chladek
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posted 03-04-2012 08:29 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was doing a little reading of the Red Bull Stratos website tonight and I noticed the flight surgeon for this project is Dr. Jon Clark (widower of STS-107 astronaut Laurel Clark, even though it is not mentioned in his Red Bull bio). Well, he certainly has excellent credentials for this project.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 03-14-2012 07:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
AVWeb reports that a Stratos test jump was delayed twice this week due to a balloon failure and weather.
The team had planned to send their capsule to 60,000 feet above Roswell, N.M., where Felix Baumgartner would jump out to practice the fall back to earth. The test was rescheduled for Wednesday morning using a backup balloon, but fog at the landing site canceled it. The team plans to try again at 7 a.m. local time on Thursday morning, according to Baumgartner's Facebook page.

The record-breaking jump from 120,000 feet is expected to take place sometime this summer.

Jay Chladek
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posted 03-15-2012 02:06 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The Associated Press is reporting that Felix conducted a test jump today from over 70,000 feet and landed safely.
Baumgartner lifted off Thursday for a test jump from Roswell, N.M., aboard a 100-foot helium balloon. He rode inside a pressurized capsule to 71,581 feet — 13.6 miles — and then jumped. He landed safely, according to project spokeswoman Trish Medalen.

He's aiming for nearly 23 miles this summer. The record is 19.5 miles.

Thursday's jump was a test of his capsule, full-pressure suit, parachutes and other systems. A mini Mission Control — fashioned after NASA's — monitored his flight.

Baumgartner reached speeds of up to 364.4 mph Thursday and was in free fall for three minutes and 43 seconds, before pulling his parachute cords, Medalen said. The entire jump lasted eight minutes and eight seconds. She stressed that the numbers are still unofficial.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 03-15-2012 06:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Red Bull Stratos release
Baumgartner passes test through death zones

Austria's Felix Baumgartner jumped out of a space capsule from an altitude of approximately 71,580 feet as the Red Bull Stratos project moved forward into the manned flight stage in New Mexico. The 42-year-old rode the space capsule attached to a giant helium balloon above the so-called "Armstrong Line."

At precisely 9:50 a.m., Felix Baumgartner landed with his parachute in the New Mexico desert nearly 30 miles away from Roswell, N.M., wearing a spacesuit as he safely completed a journey towards the edge of space. Just one hour and 40 minutes earlier the extreme athlete from Austria had lifted off from Roswell on board a space capsule attached to a 165-foot-high helium balloon that brought him to an altitude of nearly 71,580 feet.

The goal of this expedition towards the edge of space was to fly over the so-called "Armstrong Line" and to do tests under real conditions for the first time.

That is the area in aerospace where earthly boundaries and laws disappear. It is an inhospitable region for humans where liquids begin to vaporize and temperatures plunge to -75 degrees Fahrenheit. Humans could not survive in this zone without a suit to protect them from the forces of depressurization and lack of oxygen.

To get there, Baumgartner first had to make it through another "death zone" closer to earth. During the first 1,000 feet of his ascent there would be no chance of escape in the event of a crash because there would be no time to get out of the capsule or open the parachute.

The ascent and his exit from the capsule went exactly as planned. Baumgartner plunged back towards earth at a speed of nearly 365 miles per hour. He said later the most difficult part was the extreme cold he encountered.

"I could hardly move my hands. We're going to have to do some work on that aspect," he said. The Austrian added that he also needs to work on getting accustomed to the extraordinary dimensions of space.

"I wanted to open the parachute after descending for a while, but I noticed that I was still at an altitude of 50,000 feet," he said.

Even though it was only a test jump for his forthcoming leap from an altitude of nearly 23 miles, Baumgartner still managed to make it into the record books. He became only the third person to leap from that altitude and survive. The only people to successfully jump from greater heights were Russia's Eugene Andreev and American Joseph Kittinger, both of whom accomplished their feats in the 1960s.

Kittinger, a living legend now 83 years old, is serving as a mentor for the Red Bull Stratos project and was heading Baumgartner's test flight from Mission Control in Roswell. Kittinger is on the team of nearly 100 top experts recruited from the fields of science, medicine and aerospace for the mission. Technical director Art Thompson was involved with the construction of the Stealth Bomber, and medical director Dr. Jon Clark served as the crew surgeon for six space shuttle flights.

The test demonstrated that not only did the capsule system function exactly as planned, but the giant stratospheric balloon did as well, as balloon launch director Ed Coca confirmed. The delicate giant, which was inflated with helium in the early morning hours, was remotely deflated after Baumgartner's descent, exactly as planned.

The space capsule that Baumgartner had been riding in was detached from the balloon with an explosive device, descended under a parachute and later landed undamaged in the desert.

"This test serves as the perfect motivation for the team for the next step," said Baumgartner, flashing a wide smile after two previous attempts to launch the test earlier this week had to be scrubbed.

The conditions in the New Mexico desert will be too windy in the weeks ahead, making it impossible to launch this kind of balloon. After the seasonally windy conditions pass, there will be another test from the altitude of 90,000 feet before Baumgartner and the team will attempt to break the record later this year.

Jay Chladek
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posted 03-15-2012 07:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Seeing Felix standing outside that capsule gives me a sense of Deja vu, as though I am looking at a Gemini astronaut.

I am so glad this test went well, although it sounds like his gloves will need some additional heating elements or the capsule will need a hot pad of some kind to help with the cold as his ascent is going to take awhile when the record attempt is made.

cspg
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posted 03-16-2012 10:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cspg   Click Here to Email cspg     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jay Chladek:
Seeing Felix standing outside that capsule gives me a sense of Deja vu, as though I am looking at a Gemini astronaut.
Except that he's going to jump! Stunning photo (one of the best photo ever!). Just wow!

Robert Pearlman
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posted 03-16-2012 11:28 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Red Bull video release
Felix Baumgartner's Test Jump from approximately 71,580 feet

On March 15, 2012, Austria's Felix Baumgartner jumped out of a space capsule from an altitude of approximately 71,580 feet as the Red Bull Stratos project moved forward into the manned flight stage in New Mexico.

The 42-year-old rode the space capsule attached to a giant helium balloon above the so-called "Armstrong Line."

The goal of the Red Bull Stratos project is to see Baumgartner attempt a record-breaking freefall from 120,000 feet this summer where he'll potentially become the first man to go supersonic without the support of a vehicle.

Jay Chladek
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posted 03-16-2012 11:59 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by cspg:
Except that he's going to jump!
Well, even Ed White had to decide to step off. A few astronauts have described sometimes getting a sensation of freefall, even though the literal side of their brain is telling them there is nothing to fear as they are anchored to a spacecraft. But that sense of openness and speed can be terrifying.

Watching Felix step on the ledge of that capsule and step off, I felt my heart in my throat for a moment. And just think, he's going to do it at least two more times!

Jurg Bolli
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posted 03-16-2012 01:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jurg Bolli   Click Here to Email Jurg Bolli     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Absolutely fascinating!

p51
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posted 03-16-2012 09:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for p51   Click Here to Email p51     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Of course there are Red Bull logos all over his suit, which is expected from the sponsorship. So, Red Bull will live on forever in free advertising in whatever museum the suit winds up in after the project is over!
quote:
Originally posted by Jay Chladek:
Watching Felix step on the ledge of that capsule and step off, I felt my heart in my throat for a moment. And just think, he's going to do it at least two more times!
I don't get why anyone would see stepping off at 70K is any more dangerous than stepping off from a Cessna at the local airport at 1000AGL. If your chute plays games with you, the only difference is how long you have to regret the decision on the way down. You're just as dead from either altitude.

I've tested gravity in this manner courtesy of Uncle Sam and I wouldn't think twice about jumping right out after him from that altitude. The only things I'd fear would getting into a flat spin without a drogue chute or having a decompression in the suit (which could have easily killed Kittinger when his glove partially failed).

328KF
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posted 03-16-2012 10:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 328KF   Click Here to Email 328KF     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by p51:
The only things I'd fear would getting into a flat spin without a drogue chute or having a decompression in the suit.
Seems you answered your own question. This jump was in a league of it's own, and the record jump will have the additional risk of going supersonic with no airplane around him.

Shock waves, the effects on gear and human from extreme cold, and your previously mentioned risks of controllability and decompression are not typically encountered when jumping from a Cessna.

p51
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posted 03-16-2012 11:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for p51   Click Here to Email p51     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Being concerned about an issue and saying you'd never do it are two things. I'd go in a heartbeat if I got the chance, especially with this team behind me!
quote:
Originally posted by 328KF:
This jump was in a league of it's own, and the record jump will have the additional risk of going supersonic with no airplane around him.
Yes, but the majority of people I've heard from or read who commented on it said they couldn't get over the height. A co-worker who jumps at a local place said he could never jump from that height, and I confirmed it wasn't the possible pressure suit failure that would prevent him, either.

That's what I don't get. So many people have commented elsewhere that they couldn't jump from 70-120K and I doubt any of them truly even understand there's such a danger from that height for things having nothing to do with 'bouncing' if your chute fails. Like I said, you're just as dead if you impact from even TEN feet if you land wrong.

I mean sheesh, tell me you could never jump from anything other than a stepladder, then that all makes sense. But you'd jump from that Cessna and NOT from this balloon and all you're worried about maybe is bouncing after a chute failure? That's just plain silly!

GoesTo11
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posted 03-16-2012 11:42 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for GoesTo11   Click Here to Email GoesTo11     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"Teaser," indeed...Red Bull's marketing gurus know what they're doing. I can't wait for the money footage of Baumgartner's freefall.

And more broadly speaking, I love this project. Yes, it's basically a stunt. Yes, it's a corporate promotion. But seeing that picture of Felix on his capsule's "porch" about to jump just transcends all that for me.

And I love that Joe Kittinger is not only supportive of this endeavor, but has a key role in it. He's one of a generation of heroes whose mission and purpose were to push the boundaries of science and of human achievement. He doesn't care about his record...he just wants the ceiling to be raised ever higher.

Jay Chladek
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posted 03-17-2012 08:24 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The reason I said what I said is because while I am perfectly comfortable being in and flying an airplane regardless of altitude, extreme heights are not something I like all that much (even though I did tolerate being at the top of the F-1 engine test stand in Huntsville this past July just fine).

Looking at the ground below the capsule and realizing it is a LONG way down gave me pause for a moment in realizing what he was doing and seeing it in a video is different than looking at a non-moving picture. I know the equipment would likely do the job just fine.

I myself am not one to want to take up sky diving anytime soon (maybe one day, just not soon). Given that, I imagine if somehow I were tasked with an EVA, I probably would experience a brief fear phase as well even though the literal side of my brain would tell me there is nothing to fear.

As for an uncontrolled spin, I asked a question to the Red Bull blog which got answered. Joe's jump had a drag chute to keep him from spinning (which I believe also kept him from going supersonic as well) based on what happened to a dummy that was dropped from a similar height. Felix has a deployable dragchute that he can activate with a button on his hand should be begin to spin uncontrollably or tumble. He's probably going to use posture in an attempt to keep himself stable on the way down. But at least he has a safety system, just in case. I have a feeling they will probably test that system on his 90,000 foot jump to make sure it works properly, in case he needs it on the record jump (assuming they haven't tested it already).

Philip
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posted 03-17-2012 08:34 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Philip   Click Here to Email Philip     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Indeed intended as a test for his record-breaking attempt planned this summer, Felix Baumgartner jumped from 13 miles high (20 kilometers).

Col. Joe Kittinger remains the record holder with his highest, fastest, longest jump from 19 miles (31.3 kilometers) altitude during project Excelsior in August 1960...

Of course "space" only occurs at 100 kilometers altitude

I hope they would start reprinting some of these: Excelsior III – The Long Lonely Leap

Robert Pearlman
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posted 03-17-2012 10:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria seen before his jump at the first manned test flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, USA on March 15 2012.


Photo credit: Jay Nemeth/Red Bull Content Pool

328KF
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posted 03-17-2012 04:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 328KF   Click Here to Email 328KF     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for those pics Robert. I was hoping to get a look at the large patch on the notebook to the upper left and was able to in these. It's a different patch than what he has on his suit, kind of a personal patch vs. the "team patch."

I have yet to find where these might be available for sale.

SpaceAholic
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posted 03-17-2012 04:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
On a marginally related note, the self-made Thai billionaire who created the Red Bull energy drink three decades ago has died.

p51
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posted 03-17-2012 05:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for p51   Click Here to Email p51     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by 328KF:
I have yet to find where these might be available for sale.
I was wondering if I was the only one looking for patches and other swag on the website and finding nothing. That seems odd to me, you'd think Red Bull would be marketing the living heck out of this.

Jay Chladek
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posted 03-18-2012 02:02 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Perhaps they want to make sure the jump is successful first before they market stuff? Regardless of how much preparation they've done, this is still a very dangerous stunt and it still has plenty of chance for failure or something else that will prevent it from concluding. Besides, considering the funds come from sales of the drink, I don't think they need to pull in any supplemental income from additional merchandise sales.

dabolton
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posted 03-18-2012 03:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dabolton     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Has he commented on any issues on the way down or did it turn out to be a routine, stable jump (barring the sheer altitude of it). I kind of suspect the long free fall won't make for a very exciting video, minus the awe of the initial step-off.

328KF
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posted 03-18-2012 11:45 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 328KF   Click Here to Email 328KF     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
In his blog he said that the altitude and the time of the freefall really fooled him. He was feeling like he had to pull the parachute but when he looked at his altimeter he was still at 50,000 feet!

Other than that, his hands got extremely cold and he was having difficulty moving them. He stated that some work needed to be done on the gloves prior to the next jump.

Seems photos and video are all being tightly controlled by the team and/or sponsor. Felix says there is some incredible footage but he can't share it yet.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 03-18-2012 11:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by 328KF:
Seems photos and video are all being tightly controlled by the team and/or sponsor.
The media is being advised accordingly:
An exclusive, all-access documentary about the Red Bull Stratos project is being produced by the BBC together with National Geographic. The feature-length film will premiere on the BBC in the UK and National Geographic Channel in the US following the jump. It will be aired across the rest of the world soon after. The 90-minute documentary about Red Bull Stratos is being globally licensed and distributed to broadcasters by BBC Worldwide.

nojnj
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posted 07-05-2012 10:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for nojnj   Click Here to Email nojnj     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Joe Kittinger will be a guest on the Jay Leno show tonight.

Editor's note: Threads merged.

Robert Pearlman
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Kittinger's Tonight Show appearance, together with Felix Baumgartner, is a repeat of an episode that first aired on June 8.

Leno's interview with Kittinger and Baumgartner is online: part 1 | part 2

nojnj
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posted 07-07-2012 08:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for nojnj   Click Here to Email nojnj     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the links, Robert. Fell asleep and missed it.

David C
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posted 07-14-2012 06:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for David C     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
An exclusive, all-access documentary about the Red Bull Stratos project is being produced by the BBC together with National Geographic.
I wish Mr. Baumgartner the very best of luck and look forward to seeing the show. However, I hope they resist the urge to give us any claims that "he's an astronaut." I know it's a great debate to discuss where space begins, but if there's enough atmosphere to float up in a balloon, you're definitely not there.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 07-25-2012 11:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Red Bull Stratos update:
Felix lands safely after manned jump #2 from a preliminary altitude of 96,640 ft. Top freefall speed was 536mph (prelim). More details soon.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 07-25-2012 12:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Manned Flight Two test jump has been completed. Felix was in freefall approx 96,640 ft for 3m48s and is now landed.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 07-25-2012 09:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Red Bull Stratos release
Baumgartner completes final test jump from 96,640 feet / 29,455 meters

Today, July 25, 2012, Felix Baumgartner completed the final milestone remaining before he attempts to achieve his dream of becoming the first person to break the speed of sound in freefall. According to preliminary data, his test jump from a 5.3 million cubic-foot / 150,079 cubic-meter balloon achieved an altitude of over 96,640 feet / 29,455 meters, seeing Baumgartner execute a 3 minute, 48 second freefall jump reaching speeds of 536 mph / 862 kmh.

Baumgartner landed in a desert area of the U.S. state of New Mexico, just about 15 minutes by helicopter from his launch site at Roswell International Air Center. As the ecstatic team gathered in Mission Control to welcome his return, technical project director Art Thompson commented: "It's hard not to get emotional about today. We are just so glad to have Felix back on the ground after a long week with significant weather challenges. The crew did a great job."

The test launch was twice delayed due to thunderstorms, wind and rain. But the team of aerospace experts was never discouraged, well aware that even Space Shuttle launches sometimes faced several days of postponement. Baumgartner's successful test is proof that patience pays off.

The balloon for Baumgartner's final ascent will rise as tall as a skyscraper — requiring surface winds of no more than 4 miles / 6.5 kilometers per hour to avoid endangering its delicate plastic envelope. The date for the record jump is now subject to favorable weather conditions and critical post-jump assessments of the capsule and equipment.

Today's successful test, with a balloon over four times as large as the one that carried the pilot at the first test flight in March, delivered new insights for the progress of the project and also new research data for the benefit of aerospace research.

"It was a rough couple of days and an exhausting endeavor. I am now really excited. It has always been a dream of mine. Only one more step to go," Baumgartner said after the successful landing.

Pending official data review and confirmation, the leap from over 96,640 feet / 29,455 meters takes Baumgartner past Russia's Yevgeny Andreyev (83,523 feet / 25,458 meters) to make him only the second man to have successfully completed a jump from such an altitude. His planned freefall from 120,000 feet / 36,576 meters would finally break the record of 102,800 feet set 52 years ago by the only man who has jumped from a higher altitude, Baumgartner's mentor Joe Kittinger.

Jay Chladek
Member

Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007

posted 07-25-2012 09:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Two for two. I would assume if all the test data jives and the capsule got back safe that the next flight will be the record attempt. Let's hope it goes just as safely as these two test jumps did.


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