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Baumgartner's Daredevil Parachute Jump From Space Put On Hold

Posted by timothy on from the not-a-satisfying-reason dept.

Velcroman1 writes "For years, an Austrian daredevil named Felix Baumgartner has been planning to take a 23-mile plunge from the edge of space — and in the process, become the first parachutist to break the sound barrier, plummeting toward the ground at 760 miles per hour. The engineers and scientists behind The Red Bull Stratos project, an effort to break the record for the highest freefall ever, billed the jump as more than a stunt. The leap from 120,000 feet was to yield volumes of data that would have been used to develop advanced life support systems for future pilots, astronauts, and even space tourists. But a promoter feels that the jump was his idea, and filed a lawsuit in April to prevent the event from taking place. And now Red Bull has pulled the plug on the project, FoxNews.com reports. 'Due to the lawsuit, we have decided to stop the project until this case has been resolved,' Red Bull said."

12 of 248 comments (clear)

  1. Re:WTF by AMindLost · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are you kidding? I jumped two whole steps on my way downstairs this morning and found the cease and desist letter already waiting for me on the doormat!

  2. Solution! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ok fine! It's your idea...

    Come on. You're going to space!

  3. You need to be a daredevil by Chrisq · · Score: 2, Funny

    You need to be a daredevil to go around with a name like Felix Baumgartner. I'll be buggered if I would.

    1. Re:You need to be a daredevil by sortius_nod · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yes, but in English speaking countries it comes across as "The man who trims arse hair".

  4. A story from Fox News? by ibsteve2u · · Score: 2, Funny

    Uh, did this come from their "It really, truly is news!" side, or from their "It is just opinion." side? I think I better wait for independent verification.

    --
    Orwell: "In a Time of Universal Deceit, telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act"
  5. The wrong payload!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can we push a lawyer out at 120,000 feet?

    1. Re:The wrong payload!!! by DMiax · · Score: 2, Funny

      Only if you somehow make it illegal to open the parachute. The if he makes it to the ground alive, disbar him. It's a win-win situation.

  6. Re:"Intellectual property" by imakemusic · · Score: 2, Funny

    You should sue Somersault.

    --
    Brain surgery - it's not rocket science!
  7. Re:WTF by Mitchell314 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Huh, I was just about to say the same thing. See you in court.

    --
    I read TFA and all I got was this lousy cookie
  8. Re:WTF by DarkKnightRadick · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dangit!

    --
    "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
  9. Re:Space = 100km above sea level by geekoid · · Score: 2, Funny

    You can scratch Scientific from the statement.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  10. More prior art by Muad'Dave · · Score: 3, Funny

    They did a space jump with a Corvette in Heavy Metal back in 1981.

    --
    Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.