Felix B. 23 mile jump LIVE UPDATE: Jumping NOW!

Didn't see a thread on it so I thought I'd put it up for people who might have missed it. They launched around 35 minutes ago, going to take another 2 hours or so to reach the target height. He's going to jump from 23 miles and the previous record was by Joseph Kittinger who jumped from around 19 miles. All broadcast live in HD.

http://www.redbullstratos.com/live/

Update: Less then 7000 feet to go. Also just beat the record for the highest balloon flight.

Update 2: Descent rate falling, going through checklist and getting ready to jump!

Tomorrow's newspaper headline: "Felix Baumgartner 1969 - 2012".

He's gonna die.

Tomorrow's newspaper headline: "Felix Baumgartner 1969 - 2012".

worlock77

So is there a safety timer on his parachute for in case he blacks out?

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

Tomorrow's newspaper headline: "Felix Baumgartner 1969 - 2012".

Pirate700

He'd definately get in the books in that case. First human death by spacing.

So is there a safety timer on his parachute for in case he blacks out?

Pirate700

His reserve chute will automatically deploy at 2000 feet if it senses he is exceeding a certain speed.

Though he's deploying his main at 5000 feet so if he blacks out he has 5 minutes to wake up. :P

Also one of the biggest risks of blacking out is from entering a flat spin. If that happens there is a G meter on his suit that will automatically deploy a drogue chute if he exceeds a certain amount of G's and blacks out. So there are multiple safeties in place (as one would hope there would be for such a dangerous jump).

Is he ever going to jump?

Is he ever going to jump?

Pirate700

Currently at 100,000 feet. So around 20000 feet left. And at 1000 ft/min ascent it will be around 20 minutes till he jumps.

I've been watching this for about 2 minutes and I'm bored. GET ON WITH IT.Chevolutionary

I wonder what happens if he really has to crap up there. He's gotta be nervous so it's a very real issue.

I know, and I know the guy could well die doing it, but come on, I'm a busy man, I have things to do.Chevolutionary

They can't control the rate of ascent. Leave it open in a tab or come back and check on it in 10 minutes.

only 10000ft left!

damn this is crazy.

A former Army paratrooper once told me: "two things fall out of the sky - birdsh*t and idiots".

A former Army paratrooper once told me: "two things fall out of the sky - birdsh*t and idiots".

worlock77

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

A former Army paratrooper once told me: "two things fall out of the sky - birdsh*t and idiots".

Pirate700

I think adding those things in would have messed up the poetry of his statement.

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

A former Army paratrooper once told me: "two things fall out of the sky - birdsh*t and idiots".

worlock77

I think adding those things in would have messed up the poetry of his statement.

This should be, um, interesting.Aquat1cF1sh

Just passed 121,000 feet. The float point (the point at which the balloon stops rising) is theorized to be around 125,000 feet.

Edit: Looks like it is stopping at 122,000 feet. Also confirmed that he will jump!

It's messed up because I know I would honestly laugh if I see him floating out of the atmosphere.

He looks pretty nonplussed about the whole thing at the moment.Chevolutionary

Haven't really followed this at all, is there like a high chance of him dying from this? Breaking the speed of sound and all that? Or is that just hype to get views?

It's messed up because I know I would honestly laugh if I see him floating out of the atmosphere.

undergroundLPx

[QUOTE="Chevolutionary"]He looks pretty nonplussed about the whole thing at the moment.Matthew-first

It would be fine. I think he can actually ride the capsule back down.

Also it has actually started to rise again. :lol:

[QUOTE="Chevolutionary"]He looks pretty nonplussed about the whole thing at the moment.Matthew-first

It won't... If anything it is less likely to explode at that altitude as the air is thinner and there is almost no pressure... It will rise until the air is too thin to allow for lift anymore...

The guy they keep cutting to on the ground looks like an old confused lesbian.Chevolutionary

[QUOTE="Matthew-first"]

[QUOTE="Chevolutionary"]He looks pretty nonplussed about the whole thing at the moment.howlrunner13

It would be fine. I think he can actually ride the capsule back down.

Also it has actually started to rise again. :lol:

[QUOTE="undergroundLPx"]

It's messed up because I know I would honestly laugh if I see him floating out of the atmosphere.

cslayer211

Yeah the only way to fly away from the Earth is to achieve escape velocity, which is 11.186km/s... 40,269.6km/hr. He is absolutely nowhere near that in the slightest bit... It was like 8mph last time they mentioned his ascent speed...

[QUOTE="Matthew-first"]

[QUOTE="Chevolutionary"]He looks pretty nonplussed about the whole thing at the moment.C2N2

It won't... If anything it is less likely to explode at that altitude as the air is thinner and there is almost no pressure... It will rise until the air is too thin to allow for lift anymore...

[QUOTE="cslayer211"][QUOTE="Chevolutionary"]The guy they keep cutting to on the ground looks like an old confused lesbian.howlrunner13

It's Joseph Kittinger, and he actually jumped from over 100,000 feet.

The balloon looks like a jellyfish from underneath.Aquat1cF1sh

Weird... youtube is about a minute slower than TV....

Man I hope this guy doesnt dieJML897

Yeah, this is getting extremely tense.