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Supersonic Skydive Attempt Delayed 24 Hours

Posted by samzenpus on from the try-again-later dept.

First time accepted submitter poofmeisterp writes "Felix Baumgarner's planned record jump from 120,000 feet has been delayed due to 'bad wind.' Humor aside, it's good that careful thought is going into this potentially record-setting public act. From the article: 'The Austrian - who described himself as "like a tiger in a cage waiting to get out" - was due to leap from his Red Bull Stratos space capsule today at a planned altitude of 36,576m (120,000ft) over the New Mexico desert. However, the weather has forced a 24-hour launch delay. In July, Baumgartner jumped from an altitude of 29,455m (96,640ft), hitting 586.92km/h (364.69mph) during the free fall part of his drop.'"

9 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. If he succeeds, good news for NASA by MrEricSir · · Score: 4, Funny

    If he succeeds, NASA will have a cheap way to bring astronauts back from the space station without paying the Russians!

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    1. Re:If he succeeds, good news for NASA by GameboyRMH · · Score: 5, Funny

      Also the wind shear from passing jokes could be an issue.

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      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    2. Re:If he succeeds, good news for NASA by tool462 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Give him a break. You can't go *whoosh* in a vacuum...

    3. Re:If he succeeds, good news for NASA by BluBrick · · Score: 4, Funny

      I believe that doing anything like this would be only for emergency evacuations without a proper craft. I can't see this being a standard way of coming back to earth.

      Of course it would become the standard - just as low-altitude skydiving has become the standard manner of returning airplane passengers to the ground.

      PROTIP: That whooshing sound you can hear is not made by Felix Baumgartner.

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    4. Re:If he succeeds, good news for NASA by steelfood · · Score: 3, Funny

      Look ma, brown contrails!

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      "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
  2. Re:Any guesses on the diameter of the crater? by Dupple · · Score: 3, Funny

    Jumping from that height, he'll be lucky if he doesn't miss the earth

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  3. Re:Any guesses on the diameter of the crater? by oobayly · · Score: 4, Funny

    Only if something distracts him just before he hits the ground. That's apparently how you miss the ground.

  4. Austrian vs iPhone by Penurious+Penguin · · Score: 4, Funny

    Austrian:
    Max Altitude =120,000 ft
    Max Speed = 364 mph

    iPhone:
    Max Altitude = 100,000
    Max Speed = 150 mph

    Implications: Apple should patent Austrians

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  5. Re:Crap. by Jeng · · Score: 4, Funny

    If so the last noise he makes may be very similar to how I imagine someone would pronounce your screen name.

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