R Soul on 14/10/2012 at 15:47
You might have heard of this attempt for Austrian Felix Baumgartner to jump from rather high up:
Here's a link to a live broadcast
(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=MrIxH6DToXQ)
It'll take 2 hours to go up and 10 minutes to come down. They've had to postpone it a couple of times because they need the wind to be as slow as possible.
It's good to see people still breaking records. It's expected that he'll break the sound barrier, the effects of which seem to be the main unknown. When an aeroplane or rocket breaks it, there's a sonic boom but I think that's because they're emitting lots of sound waves. Baumgartner, if he doesn't go Aaarrrghh, won't be making any noise, but there will still be some sort of pressure wave around him.
nickie on 14/10/2012 at 15:52
Thanks for this. I was going to watch the other day but hadn't realised he was doing it now.
SubJeff on 14/10/2012 at 16:29
I've had this on in the background for a while.
It's great that we have stuff like this live now. He's only half-way there! It's -64 degrees C outside! Brrrr.
henke on 14/10/2012 at 17:45
123 000 feet and he's about to juuuump! :U
nickie on 14/10/2012 at 17:47
Considering that most/all (?) attempts since Joe Kittinger's record 52 years ago have ended in the deaths of those trying, and since they've just said he's going to jump despite a visor problem, I'm crossing everything for him.
This is amazing to watch.
R Soul on 14/10/2012 at 17:52
He's just under 127,600 feet and still climbing, but he's preparing to do it.
Muzman on 14/10/2012 at 18:05
Door's open. Legs are out.
Muzman on 14/10/2012 at 18:15
That is crazy.
Looks like Kittinger still holds the freefall record. But this guy held it really steady from really early. I guess cashing that in on a nice parachute ride as soon as possible is the thing to do.
henke on 14/10/2012 at 18:20
Well that went well. Defenitely a cool thing to see. :)
Independent Thief on 14/10/2012 at 18:20
The dude lived!:D Still evaluating if he broke the sound barrier.
