Skydiver aims to jump from 120,000 feet, break the sound barrier

[Luisks]

This sounds like a history of April Fool's Day, but it is not. The Australian Felix Baumgartner is a "skydiver" or diver air (in the absence of a translation that makes sense) paratrooper, who has been working with a company that makes suits for astronauts and plans to break a record by jumping from an aircraft and achieve that speed that will break the sound barrier - without dying in the attempt.

Baumgartner is participating in the Red Bull Stratos (literally Red Bull gives you wings in this case) and has already made other risky things like crossing the Channel in freefall using a carbon fiber wings or a parachute jump from a of the world's tallest buildings.

The plan this time is to go flying in a pressurized capsule attached to a large helium balloon that will lead to the stratosphere. Upon reaching an altitude of 120,000 feet (36,000 meters), will open the door. The jump of this kind has been highest in history until the time reaches up to 102,600 feet and Joseph Kittinger.

The suit

But all is not record breaking. Behind this is the creation of a super suit, that allows Baumgarthner survive in very hostile environment, and can serve for space missions, air and military.

At the height you plan to make this jump, the temperature would be about -50 ? C and pressure of the air would be able to boil - that is, the blood within Baumgartner begin to boil, killing it if the suit fails.

Moreover, the type must be able to move to control the fall, and not start spinning wildly in the air. The suit must allow some ability to move and not be as rigid as are the current spacesuits. Another problem are also the possible effects the friction with the atmosphere in the suit as the person falls at supersonic speed.

So far no one by itself has broken the sound barrier - although no one has tried skydiving from 36,000 meters altitude. The theory is that from that height, reach to break the barrier he likes it or not.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7piw7bXHzY

Links:
- Skydiver aims to jump from 120,000 feet, break the sound barrier

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2...ump-from-120000-feet-break-the-sound-barrier/

-Red Bull Stratos

http://www.redbullstratos.com/

​

_________________________________________________

LuiskS, always will bring you latest information

 

[ChocolateVillain]

I know back in like the late 50s there was a government funded jump by balloon at the height of 100,000 I believe.

No idea if he went at the speeds to break the sound barrier tho. But he did fall for a very very long time. He still holds the record for the longest free fall still I think.

 

[xosniper]

I jumped off a 2 story house once, and sprained my ankle. It was gnarly.

This guy is crazy, I'm scared of heights, and I would make space poop if I went up in that balloon.

 

[Carmine]

Apparently he also aims to die.

 

[Simon]

i believe its impossible. 50,000 feet requires a lot of oxygen tanks and minimal time up there. Its also incredibly cold. 100,000 would be suicide

 

[IngeniusDodo]

I hope he brings a lot of aluminum foil, because there's going to be a lot of radiation up there. Good luck with that.

 

[Byakuya]

i believe its impossible. 50,000 feet requires a lot of oxygen tanks and minimal time up there. Its also incredibly cold. 100,000 would be suicide

Hes in a pressurized tank. Also I hope his tanks terminal velocity is more than the speed of sound. else hes gana fail......

nm its a suit....

 

[Stickyfinger]

When he pulls the cord, the yank his body feels when the chute opens, is going to probably break most of the bones in pelvis and vertebrae.....

 

[Byakuya]

Just did some numbers.... the terminal velocity of a skydiver is about 120mph.
The speed of sound is about 700 or so mph...... does he have rocket boosers?

Maybe im just bad a physics.

 

[xosniper]

Just did some numbers.... the terminal velocity of a skydiver is about 120mph.
The speed of sound is about 700 or so mph...... does he have rocket boosers?

Maybe im just bad a physics.

wouldn't the lack of oxygen at that altitude cause you to move faster than 120 mph? I'm no altitudeologist, I slept at a Holliday Inn Express last night.

 

[Stickyfinger]

wouldn't the lack of oxygen at that altitude cause you to move faster than 120 mph? I'm no altitudeologist, I slept at a Holliday Inn Express last night.

Ok let's forget the lack of oxygen and all that, let's stick to one thing, the fact that at the speed of sound, if he pulls the cord on the chute, regardless of whatever specially made suit he has on, the jerk of it, will most likely kill him.

 

[OSVG]

He has to go so high as to where he can achieve a terminal velocity above speed of sound before the air becomes too dense. By the time he releases his chute, he will have slowed down due to density differences at 120,000 ft and about 2,500 ft (where you open a chute) . Normal jump starts @ about 12-13k ft. But I'm no expert, just basic physics. Don't know if density difference is great enough.

 

[ChocolateVillain]

When he pulls the cord, the yank his body feels when the chute opens, is going to probably break most of the bones in pelvis and vertebrae.....

He would have a multi chute system I would guess.

One small chute would deploy before the large one to slow him down to a certain speed.
Also the G-force of falling at that speed would make it very very hard to yank a cord. So again I'm only guess is that they would use an automated chute system that would deploy the chute at its different stages when it gets to a set altitude.

 

[FreakingHell]

I don't know, but I'm thinking that if some guys (or ladies) on a gaming board have thought of it, his team of engineers and physicists have thought of it. Just maybe.

 

[Stickyfinger]

Ok, this is going to turn out bad, in so many different ways, i can not comprehend how to explain it.

 

[IngeniusDodo]

At that high up, you can almost neglect frition against air, and acceleration due to gravity isn't that large of a difference. Basically, at 12km in the air, you'll have over 4km to accelerate, with virtually no resistance from drag, meaning terminal velocity is very high. He can probably make it.

Also, because there's no air resistance, opening the parachute won't slow him down until he hits areas of greater air density at lower elevations. Less change in acceleration, less jerk. When he opens it, he's probably going to still be in a near-vacuum.

Fun note: because he's in a vacuum, he won't feel the air rushing past him. Difficulties normally associated with movement at high speeds don't matter. No skin-flapping, etc.

 

[XXzz-Trauma-zzXX]

I think he will be able to do it. Since the air is thinner the higher up you go drag wont be as much of a problem. im thinking if he breaks i he will break it before getting too low where drag and air resistance become a bigger role. Once he gets lower the more dense air will slow him down and slow him to normal terminal velocity. probably have a multi chute system to help slow him down to make sure hes at a safe speed to pull his chute. Speaking of space and whatnot you guys know the Atlantis shuttle that went up last year into space? The pilot of that space mission graduated from my school. And he came to our school and we had a huge welcome home gathering for him. he took his high school jersey into space then brought it back and gave it to the school. Its pretty cool. I even have an auto graphed picture that my girlfriend got from him for me.