Just Chat - General Discussion - 'Space diver' to attempt first supersonic freefall

'Space diver' to attempt first supersonic freefall

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Forum Name: Just Chat - General Discussion
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Printed Date: 23 Apr 2024 at 12:26pm

Topic: 'Space diver' to attempt first supersonic freefall

Posted By: MartinW
Subject: 'Space diver' to attempt first supersonic freefall
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2012 at 11:01am

On for this year. Perilous and foolhardy, but good luck to him.

Update on 7 February 2012: Red Bull says the jump attempt is back on for sometime in 2012. The legal challenge to the jump was resolved out of court and the jump, from a planned altitude of 36.6 kilometres, will occur above Roswell, New Mexico.

Update: On 12 October 2010, Red Bull stopped work on this project, http://redbullstratos.digitalnewsagency.com/story/view/4992-statement-regarding-red-bull-stratos/all - citing a multi-million-dollar lawsuit by an entrepreneur who claimed rights to the idea.

A "space diver" will try to smash the nearly 50-year-old record for the highest jump this year, becoming the first person to go supersonic in freefall. The stunt could help engineers design escape systems for space flights.

On 16 August 1960, US Air Force Captain Joe Kittinger made history by jumping out of a balloon at an altitude of some 31,333 metres. "I stood up and said a prayer and stepped off," he recalled (see http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19626261.700-space-diving-the-ultimate-extreme-sport.html - Space diving: The ultimate extreme sport ).

Since then, many have tried to break that record but none have succeeded – New Jersey native Nick Piantanida actually died trying in 1966. Now Austrian skydiver http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Baumgartner - Felix Baumgartner has announced he will make the attempt, with help from Kittinger and sponsorship from the energy drink company Red Bull.

Baumgartner, who became the first person to cross the English Channel in freefall in 2003, will be lofted to a height of 36, 575 metres in a helium balloon. After floating up for roughly three hours, he will open the door of a 1-tonne pressurised capsule, grab the handrails on either side of the exit, and step off, potentially breaking records for the highest parachute jump, as well as the fastest and longest freefall.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18427-space-diver-to-attempt-first-supersonic-freefall.html - http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18427-space-diver-to-attempt-first-supersonic-freefall.html

Replies:

Posted By: papeg
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2012 at 2:04pm

After falling for about six minutes, Baumgartner should open his parachute at roughly 1520 metres.

I wonder what the G force would be opening the chute at that speed.

-------------
Greg

Posted By: VulcanB2
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2012 at 1:42am

Good luck to him!! Will be interesting if he can survive supersonic flight. I'm assuming no part of his body is exposed to the airflow? No ejection seat manufacturer guarantees survival above 600 kts at the time of ejection, with a 95% chance of fatality ejecting above Mach 1.0.

I wonder what the G force would be opening the chute at that speed.

He would have decelerated by then. He'll only go supersonic at high altitude.

Best regards,
Vulcan.

Posted By: FSaddict
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2012 at 2:17am

I thought Joe Kittinger lready broke the sound barrier in his freefall?

Posted By: MartinW
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2012 at 2:35pm

I think Kittinger was the height record, don't think he went supersonic, 33,000 metres.

This will be 36, 575 metres

Pointy wrote:

Good luck to him!! Will be interesting if he can survive supersonic flight. I'm assuming no part of his body is exposed to the airflow? No ejection seat manufacturer guarantees survival above 600 kts at the time of ejection, with a 95% chance of fatality ejecting above Mach 1.0.

He wont be at 600 knots, he will be at zero knots, jumping from a balloon. However, he will break the sound barrier after falling for 35 seconds. Thats the concern.

Shock wave

He will face extreme peril. He should reach supersonic speeds 35 seconds after he jumps, and the resulting shock wave "is a big concern", the project's technical director, Art Thompson, said at a press briefing on Friday. "In early aircraft development, they thought it was a wall they couldn't pass without breaking apart. In our case, the vehicle is flesh and blood, and he'll be exposed to some extreme forces."

Still, project medical director Jonathan Clark noted there has been one known instance of a pilot surviving the destruction of a plane at three times the speed of sound. "We know it's not just theoretically possible, it's possible," he said.

After falling for about six minutes, Baumgartner should open his parachute at roughly 1520 metres.

The jump height is above a threshold at 19,000 metres called the Armstrong line, where the atmospheric pressure is so low that fluids start to boil. "If he opens up his face mask or the suit, all the gases in your body go out of suspension, so you literally turn into a giant fizzy, oozing fluid from your eyes and mouth, like something out of a horror film," Thompson explained. "It's just seconds until death."

Posted By: VulcanB2
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2012 at 8:08pm

He wont be at 600 knots, he will be at zero knots, jumping from a balloon.

I know.

However, he will break the sound barrier after falling for 35 seconds. Thats the concern.

Yes, after which time he will be exceeding 605 kts TAS. TAS rules.

Best regards,
Vulcan.

Posted By: 767nutter
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2012 at 10:21pm

the one thing that made me cringe listening about this on the news is what happened Joseph Kittenger during his jump, that after pressurization malfunctioned in his right glove his blood started to boil in his hand Shocked

so of course they are making every effort to make sure it doesnt happen again.

Posted By: Expatmanc
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2012 at 10:56pm

Last time I heard, Joe Kittinger was over 80 and still has his private pilots licence and still flies regularly. Good on him!

Posted By: MartinW
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2012 at 11:58am

Yes, after which time he will be exceeding 605 kts TAS. TAS rules.

He will, inside a protective suit. It's the shock wave when he breaks the sound barrier that seems to be more of a concern.