Mach 1.1 freefall! Red Bull Stratos

[frankieflowerz]

Red Bull Stratos aims to provide information that will further the progression of aerospace safety


USAF Col. Joe Kittinger (Ret.) knows the value of scientific research, which is why he is a pivotal leader of this team. The results from this mission will benefit the science community by offering data that could help develop the next generation space suits, establish viable escape procedures for passengers and crew in space, and create parachutes with state of the art safety systems.


Like any transportation system, high-altitude flights need safety procedures; but currently, researchers don't know if it's possible to bail out from ultra-high altitudes. What would happen to a human falling to Earth faster than the speed of sound? Would a spacesuit provide sufficient protection? Would GPS equipment function? Could a drogue parachute provide adequate stabilization?

Worldwide, the answers to such questions are vital. Aviators and astronauts look to extend the boundaries of their exploration and - with the opening of facilities like SpacePort America - the day when everyday people can become space tourists is on the horizon. The mission's findings may point the way toward developing escape systems for the space tourists of the future, as well as for the pilots and astronauts who already need suborbital systems today.

SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION FOCUS
Red Bull Stratos aims to provide information that will further the progression of aerospace safety. The key benefits for the science community are as follows:

- To aid development of a new generation of space suits - including enhanced mobility and visual clarity - and other systems to lead toward passenger/crew exit from space.

- To aid development of protocols for exposure to high altitude/high acceleration.

- To aid exploration of the effects on the human body of supersonic acceleration and deceleration, including development of the latest innovations in parachute systems.

POTENTIAL BENCHMARKS

- Reaching supersonic speed in freefall:First person to achieve the speed of sound (Mach 1) in freefall without mechanical assistance. Speed estimated to be about 690 miles per hour at point of breaking sound barrier; acceleration could continue to more than Mach 1.1 (previous record: 614 miles per hour, Mach 0.9).

- Freefall from highest altitude:Expected jump from approximately 120,000 feet (previous record: 102,800 feet).

- Longest freefall time:Expected freefall duration of about 5 minutes, 35 seconds (previous record: 4 minutes, 36 seconds).

- Highest manned balloon flight:Expected float altitude of approximately 120,000 feet (previous record: 113,740 feet).

All figures approximate based on anticipated conditions and projected factors.

http://www.redbullstratos.com/

[patrikman]

404 car content not found

[C4 A6]

Read about this. Insane to say the least. But wrong section.

[frankieflowerz]

My apologies for the wrong section...but this thing involves crazy speed, so I figured you guys might be interested

[compy222]

there is that one moment where you realize the word, "terror," is being defined.

[McBanagon]

there is that one moment where you realize the word, "terror," is being defined.

[Rob Cote]

there is that one moment where you realize the word, "terror," is being defined.

Yeap. I hope they designed that suit with pants-****ting in mind.

[ChiTownA34DR]

This guy has them... and they are huge.

[bherman13]

Hope they got Adrian Newey to design the aerodynamics of that suit!

[MCTB]

No car content but I am watching this. Its delayed due to the weather at the jump altitude. Crazy doesnt even begin to describe...

[CBJ]

SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION FOCUS
Red Bull Stratos aims to provide information that will further the progression of aerospace safety. The key benefits for the science community are as follows:

- To aid development of a new generation of space suits - including enhanced mobility and visual clarity - and other systems to lead toward passenger/crew exit from space.

They don't really need a guy jumping out of a basket for this. A vacuum chamber will do.

- To aid development of protocols for exposure to high altitude/high acceleration.

The only reason there is high speed - (not acceleration because gravity isn't changing) is low resistance. Doing nothing he'll eventually slow to the same speeds a normal skydiver will travel.

- To aid exploration of the effects on the human body of supersonic acceleration and deceleration, including development of the latest innovations in parachute systems.

Hope he's ready for 1g of acceleration and less then that of deceleration. I wonder if he could pop the chute the moment he leaves the capsule. It probably wouldn't do anything until the air density starts to go up anyway.

POTENTIAL BENCHMARKS

- Reaching supersonic speed in freefall:First person to achieve the speed of sound (Mach 1) in freefall without mechanical assistance. Speed estimated to be about 690 miles per hour at point of breaking sound barrier; acceleration could continue to more than Mach 1.1 (previous record: 614 miles per hour, Mach 0.9).

- Freefall from highest altitude:Expected jump from approximately 120,000 feet (previous record: 102,800 feet).

- Longest freefall time:Expected freefall duration of about 5 minutes, 35 seconds (previous record: 4 minutes, 36 seconds).

- Highest manned balloon flight:Expected float altitude of approximately 120,000 feet (previous record: 113,740 feet).

All figures approximate based on anticipated conditions and projected factors.

A difference of 7 to 10,000 feet. Hardly seems worth the effort.

[Robski92]

This is just crazy but cool at the same time.

[KICKINGTI]

A difference of 7 to 10,000 feet. Hardly seems worth the effort.

So lets not break records anymore. The olympics, who needs that, when you are talking about .01 seconds of record breaking.

[frankieflowerz]

This guy has them... and they are huge.

I’m pretty sure they included the weight of his ^ in the freefall equation of how fast he is going to reach Mach 1.1.

[SVTDanny]

A difference of 7 to 10,000 feet. Hardly seems worth the effort.

"- Freefall from highest altitude:Expected jump from approximately 120,000 feet (previous record: 102,800 feet)"

120,000 - 102,800 =/= "7 to 10,000 feet."

[Noah Fecks]

scared? yeah right! you got a 50/50 shot. live or die. more than likely gonna live, so **** it, send it.

[Jerico007]

This is just crazy but cool at the same time.

Extremely crazy and extremly cool....talk about bragging rights and being the man.

[frankieflowerz]

A difference of 7 to 10,000 feet. Hardly seems worth the effort.

The difference is actually about 18,000 as previous record is 102,000.

The 113,000 is a record for highest balloon flight, not freefall jump.

[GruuvenNorth]

Let's see if Red Bull will give him wings.

ha ha

ha
ha...

ohhh.

[NightTrain EX]

I'm not an Engineer by any means, but I do remember in Physics hearing that the terminal velocity of a human is somewhere in the 220MPH range. How do they get such a drastically higher number? The suit?

[CBJ]

I'm not an Engineer by any means, but I do remember in Physics hearing that the terminal velocity of a human is somewhere in the 220MPH range. How do they get such a drastically higher number? The suit?

Air resistance is significantly lower at that altitude.

[vasillalov]

I'm not an Engineer by any means, but I do remember in Physics hearing that the terminal velocity of a human is somewhere in the 220MPH range. How do they get such a drastically higher number? The suit?

Lower air density at higher altitude?

[McBanagon]

How many browsers are open this morning that have RedBull text or imagery displayed on them?

Makes me wonder if RedBull sponsored it with the condition: "Delay it every 30 minutes and push it back six hours - blame the weather"

[frankieflowerz]

How many browsers are open this morning that have RedBull text or imagery displayed on them?

Makes me wonder if RedBull sponsored it with the condition: "Delay it every 30 minutes and push it back six hours - blame the weather"

Coming from multi billion company, I would not be surprised…….but respect for sponsoring/funding/advertising all the crazy “sport” events they do. In the end it’s all advertisement, but at least we get to watch/witness some mad crazy stuff! If NASA was doing it, I would be watching this thing too, but they are not.

[absoluteczech]

it's on hold till 11:30 MDT

[Rennwagen]

Live stream is here: http://www.redbullstratos.com/live/

[MCTB]

it's on hold till 11:30 MDT

So, thats 130 EST?

[absoluteczech]

yea 2hrs head of mtn time

[ChiTownA34DR]

Be pretty cool to do the Iron Man sonic boom while he is falling. I wonder what it would feel like in a suit.

[Jason4]

Well aren't you just a funsucker today.

They don't really need a guy jumping out of a basket for this. A vacuum chamber will do.

They don't really need F1 cars to prove aerodynamics either, just windtunnels...
The real world is not a test cell, if it were then you wouldn't see any spy shots from BP because all of the testing could be done on a dyno.

The only reason there is high speed - (not acceleration because gravity isn't changing) is low resistance. Doing nothing he'll eventually slow to the same speeds a normal skydiver will travel.

But since there is less resistance then there will be high speed, it's still really hot.

Hope he's ready for 1g of acceleration and less then that of deceleration. I wonder if he could pop the chute the moment he leaves the capsule. It probably wouldn't do anything until the air density starts to go up anyway.

I think he's probably felt close to 1g of acceleration on every jump he's ever made minus wind resistance of course. And that circles us back to how his acceleration will in fact be higher than a jump at 1/2 the altitude because the force of gravity is constant, the opposing force of aero resistance change with the atmospheric pressure. His mass stays the same so that just leaves acceleration to vary.

A difference of 7 to 10,000 feet. Hardly seems worth the effort.

As pointed out it's closer to 18,000 feet which is nearing 20%. That's huge! Even if it was only 10,000 feet it would be close to 10%, still a bigger deal than you are.

Keep sucking the fun out of this, I think it's pretty incredible that it's being done by a private company and publicized. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the military has already been testing at higher altitudes.

[absoluteczech]

Wind conditions have improved and the balloon is being laid out. Felix Baumgartner's suit up procedure is complete.

.

[C4 A6]

Cannot wait!

[SoLo2pointO]

Joe Kittinger says "been there, done that."



Source

[The Ninja]

Joe Kittinger says "been there, done that."



Source

Joseph Kittinger is mentoring Felix and will be in communication with him from the ground. These too guys are the definition of bad asses.

To those that are crapping on this let's see you do it, but that means you would need to leave the comfort of your parents basement.

[pentaxshooter]

Yup, and he is going to be on the other end of the radio with Felix during all of this ^

edit- beaten!