Highjump

[LarryMcG]

THE SOUND BARRIER-BREAKING, LONGEST-EVER SKYDIVE
Weather permitting, 64-year-old Michel Fournier may already have climbed into his pressurized gondola and been carried for more than two hours by his 650-foot balloon to 130,000 feet (close to 25 miles high) above the earth -- where he may already have stepped out. Fournier said over the weekend that he would, Monday, somewhere over sparse and nearly lake-less Saskatoon, Canada, attempt the highest-ever parachute jump and, himself, move faster than the speed of sound ... weather permitting. Prior to the jump, reports indicated the fall could take more than 15 minutes (including time under canopy) and would take Fournier faster and farther than any previous skydiver, setting records for altitude in a balloon, fastest freefall, duration of freefall, and altitude to initiate freefall. Before the weekend, Col. Joseph Kittinger, Jr.'s record jump of 102,800 feet -- set Aug. 16, 1960 -- held top honors, literally. Reporters were told over the weekend Fournier expected to exceed the speed of sound while trailing a stabilizing drogue chute as he fell through 117,000 feet, accelerating to a maximum speed close to 1.68 Mach. En route, Fournier would pass through temperatures expected to be as cold as negative 115 degrees Centigrade, opening his parachute more than seven minutes after beginning his fall.

[3wheels]

He's got more "brass" than many people I know....... or a serious lack of grey matter

[ICEMAN]

So what happened to the theory of terminal velocity...... or is he too high for "normal" air resistance, but geez, mach 1.68 v terminal velocity is quite a difference in speed .... hell man, the windspeeds in a tornado or cyclone are slower ,.......

[grostek]

Wonder what he will be wearing, at that speed I imagine normal clothing will not last very long.

Rather him than me.

Gunter Rostek.

[Boer]

WHY?????

[Tumbleweed]

Coz he's probably ugly, has never been taken seriously, and most likely sleeps with his dog.

[Rudix]

So what happened to the theory of terminal velocity...... or is he too high for "normal" air resistance, but geez, mach 1.68 v terminal velocity is quite a difference in speed .... hell man, the windspeeds in a tornado or cyclone are slower ,.......

The less air there is the higher your terminal velocity, in space your terminal velocity is infinite (well, some will say it is the speed of light but that theory also has some holes in it!)

[Tailspin]

Suppose he has nothing better to do with his time or money.

[Gyronaut]

some will say it is the speed of light

So maybe the clever okes here can explain the speed of dark to me then?

[Rudix]

some will say it is the speed of light

So maybe the clever okes here can explain the speed of dark to me then?

In Africa it is rather slow.....

[Boer]

At that speed he'll have no hair, nevermind a bad hair day. Moto-X goggles I think will not work here.

Ek dink hy gaan sy gat af val.

[Sox]

Balloons leave skydiver behind
27/05/2008 16:12 - (SA)

Saskatchewan - A French skydiver's hope to set a new free-fall record has been dealt another setback - his ride to the sky left without him.
The helium balloon Michel Fournier was going to use to soar to the stratosphere detached from the capsule he was going to use to jump from 40 000 metres.
It happened as the balloon was being inflated on the ground at the airport in North Battleford, Saskatchewan.
The balloon drifted away into the sky without the capsule.
Fournier, 64, planned to make the attempt on Monday, but had to postpone due to weather conditions.

[kloot piloot]

Bl*ody expensive for a non-event ! He would have died a meat-bomb anyway . When Judy Lenen did her record breaking hang glide balloon drop from halve the height (60 000 ft) she had her eyelid and -brows (inside a helmet) frozen.

"Boer" was right, WHY ?

But then again, look at jet-man on u-tube. Scientifically much more fun !

[Wargames]

Balloons leave skydiver behind
27/05/2008 16:12 - (SA)

Saskatchewan - A French skydiver's hope to set a new free-fall record has been dealt another setback - his ride to the sky left without him.
The helium balloon Michel Fournier was going to use to soar to the stratosphere detached from the capsule he was going to use to jump from 40 000 metres.
It happened as the balloon was being inflated on the ground at the airport in North Battleford, Saskatchewan.
The balloon drifted away into the sky without the capsule.
Fournier, 64, planned to make the attempt on Monday, but had to postpone due to weather conditions.

I think he planned this to happen. Now nobody can say that he was to scared!!

[kloot piloot]

He received a sms from his insurance: "The acts are done under supervision. Don't try this at home" !