Baumgartner sets 3 records, highest jump, fastest terminal velocity, highest flight

[cplmac]

Felix Baumgartner set three new world records yesterday on his third and final attempt at skydiving from 24 miles in altitude. The first two attempts were scrubbed due to high winds. He made the jump appropriately over Roswell, New Mexico. He set the world record for highest manned balloon flight and highest skydive (128,100 feet 24.26 miles), and the fastest freefall and first to break the sound barrier (833.9 mph or mach 1.24). I have to admit, I was a little concerned about the effect of breaching the sound barrier without the benefit of a fuselage but he reported that he couldn't even tell when he broke it. In a world full of stupid, mundane and sophomoric stunts (I'm looking right at you David Blaine), this one is pretty fucking extraordinary. Hats off to the Austrian.


Got tired of looking for the old thread if anyone can find it feel free to merge.

 

[Snakebabies]

Followed that shit all day yesterday! What a pioneer! Im soooo excited about this, I hope that this dudes giant balls will motivate who ever is in charge of the NASA space program to start it up again. What a beast! Thats an adrenaline high greater than anything on this planet!

 

[cplmac]

That is pretty awesome, from what I understand NASA was collecting a shit ton of data from him. Hopefully the next President will give NASA back it's funding and get us a space program once more. Blows me away this guy broke the sound barrier skydiving, amazing.

 

[HeatSurge]

Didn't realize that Kittinger was even on a drogue chute on the way down; it makes this all the more impressive.