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Felix Baumgartner's Supersonic Skydive Attempt

First time accepted submitter madcarrots writes "The Red Bull Stratos space jump is about to take place. The balloon is filling up and launch is expected around 10 AM MDT. Check out the live feed of the inflation process... it's beautiful!" After some delays it looks like the jump is finally going to happen. UPDATE: The jump was a success. Baumgartner is on the ground and apparently fine.

271 comments

  1. Redbull by bobstreo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Has identified the limits of server capacity.

    1. Re:Redbull by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The stream seems to work better once you click the "YouTube" link and watch it directly on YouTube.

    2. Re:Redbull by ThatsMyNick · · Score: 5, Informative

      Before the server dies, here is the direct youtube link to the live feed - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrIxH6DToXQ

    3. Re:Redbull by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So is youtube...

    4. Re:Redbull by hutsell · · Score: 1

      The Pilot during the simulated checklist sounded stressed -- worried about something; the operator at the control center has a little bit of unfocused goofiness.
      Hopefully all goes well and this isn't an indication of anything serious.

      --
      Yesterday's Weirdness is Tomorrow's Reason Why
    5. Re:Redbull by dtmos · · Score: 5, Informative

      the operator at the control center has a little bit of unfocused goofiness.

      You mean Joe Kittenger, the man who holds the existing record, the man Felix trusts implicitly, and possesses the only voice that Felix wants to hear in his capsule?

      When you are old enough to need bifocals, you'll appreciate the difference between "unfocused goofiness" and just trying to see.

    6. Re:Redbull by hutsell · · Score: 2

      the operator at the control center has a little bit of unfocused goofiness.

      You mean Joe Kittenger, the man who holds the existing record, the man Felix trusts implicitly, and possesses the only voice that Felix wants to hear in his capsule?

      When you are old enough to need bifocals, you'll appreciate the difference between "unfocused goofiness" and just trying to see.

      Thanks for the clarification on the cause of his demeanor -- it wasn't meant to be an insult. In either case, it's comforting to know the observation was valid and not my imagination. Wearing trifocals myself, I can understand the problem -- especially when going back and forth between two or more glasses prior to the bifocal-trifocal solutions. I would occasionally hate myself for how unprofessional it looked to others while they waited for me to make my changes.

      --
      Yesterday's Weirdness is Tomorrow's Reason Why
    7. Re:Redbull by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I'm so happy that the broadcast announcer is intelligent and full of technical details. Far too often the viewer is treated like an idiot. One minor nitpick, the reason they want to keep the oxygen mixture below 30% is most likely to prevent oxygen toxicity. It's a problem that can quickly cause death. Enriched air (nitrox) divers have to take the same into account.

    8. Re:Redbull by hutsell · · Score: 1

      My experience has been to have it occasionally slow the decision making process. However, Kittinger's experience should be able to counter that problem.

      --
      Yesterday's Weirdness is Tomorrow's Reason Why
    9. Re:Redbull by bungo · · Score: 2

      At the moment, he's at 127,692 ft, higher than what was planned. When he was asked if he was ready to do the pre-jump check list, he didn't respond for a number of minutes and had to be asked by Joe K; a number of times.

      I wonder if there was something wrong, or just nerves, or too much 02.

      It looks like everything is ok now.

      --
      "The best part? I became an ordained minister while not wearing pants." -- CleverNickName
    10. Re:Redbull by malakai · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Something was still off between those two on communications. I think Joe was trying to put him at ease, probably had direct view of his heart rate and other things we couldn't see. But I think Felix was having a fight or flight moment. I actually worried something with his suit pressure was wrong because he was acting like he had nitrogen narcosis ( or the equivalent at opposite extremes of pressure). He was slow to respond, and sometimes didn't respond or acknowledge at all. I can't help to think if this was a NASA or military exercise, they would have stopped the egress checklist and switched to a "is our pilot ok" checklist. It was painful to watch.

    11. Re:Redbull by networkz · · Score: 1

      No mod points. I concur completely.

    12. Re:Redbull by bytesex · · Score: 4, Interesting

      He was also in a pressure suit the severely limited his motion. Maybe he was just too busy to talk, trying to figure out how to get certain things done.

      --
      Religion is what happens when nature strikes and groupthink goes wrong.
    13. Re:Redbull by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When he was asked to confrim that his pressure suite is inflating he just sat there and didn't respond (nothing to do apparently). Kittinger asked repeatedly and only then after some secondes (20, 30?) he got an answer.

    14. Re:Redbull by Sulphur · · Score: 5, Funny

      When he was asked to confrim that his pressure suite is inflating he just sat there and didn't respond (nothing to do apparently). Kittinger asked repeatedly and only then after some secondes (20, 30?) he got an answer.

      Briefly time became two dimensional.

    15. Re:Redbull by tinkerton · · Score: 1

      Not when it's at low pressure. Didn't the old Appolo capsules operate at 1/3 atmosphere pure oxygen?

    16. Re:Redbull by Troed · · Score: 2

      Did you watch?

      I'm quite convinced something wasn't right. It was not an isolated incident - more often than not Felix did not respond or did not seem to understand what was required of him. It took several attempts to start the egress checklist and I'm not convinced he secured the door (even though he confirmed it).

      Also, he didn't confirm turning on the vest/helmet cameras and no shots from those were broadcast at all. Weren't they supposed to?

    17. Re:Redbull by History's+Coming+To · · Score: 2

      Agreed, it did sound a little bit like the narcs, although there's a lot of other explanations, such as information overload, glitchy or unclear RT or even a pre-arranged "lack of communication" to up the suspense and provide a better spectacle, which at the end of the day provides more publicity for Red Bull who are paying for the thing at the end of the day. Baumgartner was certainly on top of things while going through the egress checklist practice run - he failed to respond a couple of times and was still able to point out that his leg camera switch-off (an unrelated item) was four minutes overdue.

      --
      Please consider this account deleted, I just can't be bothered with the spam anymore.
    18. Re:Redbull by ThatsMyNick · · Score: 2

      Press conference just started at 1:30 PST - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrIxH6DToXQ . Just in case anyone is still following.

    19. Re:Redbull by ThatsMyNick · · Score: 1

      1.2 mach! He broke the sound barrier!!

    20. Re:Redbull by trout007 · · Score: 5, Informative

      I'm certified as an Enriched Air diver and you are a bit confused. It's the partial pressure of Oxygen that will kill you. The safe limit we dive to is 1.6 atm partial pressure of O2. This means that you could breath pure O2 in about 20 ft of water. Below that it's toxic.
      In spacesuits they breath pure O2 at about 3-4 psi. The reason is if you put in other gases your mixed gas pressure will be too high and you can't move in a flexible suit. If you go too low you are in trouble too.

      --
      I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
    21. Re:Redbull by bruce_the_loon · · Score: 2

      He did not have full video downlink from the cameras on his suit, only on the capsule. Either they didn't want the extra weight of a downlink, battery and antenna system or they didn't want footage of spins etc going live. I suspect the former since weight would be an issue with a jump like this. We should see that footage in the director's cut.

      --
      Trying to become famous by taking photos. Visit my homepage please.
    22. Re:Redbull by Redmancometh · · Score: 1

      This made me laugh for entire minutes.

    23. Re:Redbull by boaworm · · Score: 2

      the operator at the control center has a little bit of unfocused goofiness.

      I don't give much for the "control center"... If you look at the youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrIxH6DToXQ) (7 hours 53 minutes long), at 4:52:12, they will state the following:

      Altitude: 127861 ft/ 38972 meters
      Temperature outside: 19.1F / -6.1C

      Wtf?...

      --
      Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities.
      Aristotele
    24. Re:Redbull by pspahn · · Score: 2

      At one point just before his jump, the external temp reading was approaching 30F. I'm guessing it was simply because he was not really rising anymore, just kind of bobbing there, and the sensor had time to warm up. Same reason the thermometer on your back fence will hit 110F when it's still only 93F or so.

      --
      Someone flopped a steamer in the gene pool.
    25. Re:Redbull by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Live telemetry was lost several (hundred) times after it was above 30km, so likely it was simple packet loss. Their link wasn't up to snuff.

    26. Re:Redbull by antdude · · Score: 1

      "The uploader has not made this video available.
      Sorry about that."

      Is there a recording of this since I am way late? :(

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    27. Re:Redbull by ManicMechanic · · Score: 1

      it wouldnt be n2 narcosis, hypoxic hypoxia is the condition you are likely describing.

    28. Re:Redbull by ManicMechanic · · Score: 3, Insightful

      the temp was likely correct. the temp decreases with altitude only until you reach the tropopause. after that you are in the stratosphere and temperature rises with altitude. this jump was well above the tropopause.

    29. Re:Redbull by jfanning · · Score: 1

      The temperature was most likely correct.

      The temperature in the stratosphere rises with height (a temperature inversion) due to the ozone layer capturing UV radiation. Of course with the pressure being about 8hPa or less at those altitudes the temperature is pretty much abstract.

    30. Re:Redbull by Emb3rz · · Score: 1

      OT reply to sig: I was wearing swim trunks and a black t-shirt when I was baptized and ordained.

      Carry on.

  2. going on now, more ballast just dropped by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    @Baumgartner is at 56,000 ft now, outside air temp of -89F. They just dropped more ballast to ascend faster through the jetstream and not drift as far downrange. More details at #livejump and #stratos.

    1. Re:going on now, more ballast just dropped by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Outside pressure almost at zero now. #livejump #stratos

  3. Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    FINALLY... A Slashdot posting that doesn't appear AFTER the event! :-)

  4. In the meantime, umbrella sales are up. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Because you really don't want to get splashed by that one.

  5. Boring. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let me know when he tries a superluminal skydive. Now that would be fun to watch.

  6. Video feed? by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 1

    Am I the only person for whom the video feed is broken?

    1. Re:Video feed? by wbr1 · · Score: 1

      The feed is broken because someone lost the keys to the sound stage that the moon landing was filmed on.

      --
      Silence is a state of mime.
    2. Re:Video feed? by Grayhand · · Score: 1

      Am I the only person for whom the video feed is broken?

      That's just the dust cloud from his impact. It should clear up in a minute or two.

    3. Re:Video feed? by JustOK · · Score: 1

      Yes. You must have missed the part where he was abducted by aliens.

      --
      rewriting history since 2109
    4. Re:Video feed? by hack++slash · · Score: 1

      I can't see shit either. On my Nook Tablet I tried the Android Browser and FireFox and both came up with the "this device not supported" crap, and on this PC I'm just getting the spinny thing and then black screen or "An error occured. Please try again later.", but if I try later I won't fucking see it live!

      --
      To do something right, you often have to roll up your sleeves and get busy.
    5. Re:Video feed? by hack++slash · · Score: 2

      I connected to a US VPN and as if by magic I can see the video (but it keeps buffering)... hmm are they limiting access or something?

      --
      To do something right, you often have to roll up your sleeves and get busy.
    6. Re:Video feed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      “Please stand by. Starting soon“

    7. Re:Video feed? by hack++slash · · Score: 1

      Found a different feed and powered up the projector, watching it on a 6 foot wide screen :)

      --
      To do something right, you often have to roll up your sleeves and get busy.
    8. Re:Video feed? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In case anyone else was interested, that must be a 6.88' (82.56") diagonally long screen. About the size of 4 tiled 40" screens. Not bad.

  7. Re:Why is this even news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Many us dont watch TV, so it is news for us. And if the presidential election results come up, would say the same, and expect slashdot to not cover it? And it is actually a guy sponsored by a bunch of rich corporations, that is going to skydive. And it is news because no one has tried to do it from 20K feet, or attempted to break the sound barrier before (well, not intentionally).

  8. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I wasn't around for the first moon landing, but I'm sure glad I'm alive to witness this. It's something I'll be able to tell my kids about 20 years down the road. Once again the human race proves it's indomitable spirit and someday we will spread beyond the confines of our tiny blue marble.

  9. As of now, 69,400 ft and still rising by G3ckoG33k · · Score: 1
    1. Re:As of now, 69,400 ft and still rising by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      76,000 ft, curvature of the earth visible. #livejump

    2. Re:As of now, 69,400 ft and still rising by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      81,200 ft 25,900 m
      3,586,923 watching now

  10. While this is super awesome by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Wouldnt hurt to see the type of bandwidth used by this event, compared to other major events of a similar type (such as the space shuttle launch and the mars rovers launches).
    Some sort of stats would be interesting to look at (IDK if they would serve any purpose, but even as just interesting facts they would be interesting)

  11. Be patient by Grayhand · · Score: 4, Funny

    They are holding up the video feed until they pry his hands off the safety rail.

    1. Re:Be patient by Hexydes · · Score: 2, Informative

      Hah, I couldn't blame him. ;) For anyone who missed the live stream, here is the video of the jump. http://youtu.be/g4nJF9JFleI

    2. Re:Be patient by Shoten · · Score: 2

      Hah, I couldn't blame him. ;)

      For anyone who missed the live stream, here is the video of the jump.

      http://youtu.be/g4nJF9JFleI

      Yeah, no kidding...going up higher than anyone has ever gone in a balloon, past the maximum height of any plane...and then opening this huge hatch in front of you to look outside into an environment with .03 PSI where you can actually see the curvature of the Earth a bit.

      And THEN, to climb OUT THAT HOLE and stand on a step the size of a skateboard, holding onto two handrails...and then just jump. Absolutely incredible.

      --

      For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
  12. Re:ha! by lilfields · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yes getting people interested in science with stunts is a complete waste of time. NASA has totally failed to capture the imaginative of kids these days, even though decades ago they were doing things very similar to this. Sure this isn't exactly going to the moon, but there is a lot of science behind this, and if it helps people become more interested, then it is far from a waste of time or money.

  13. Hydrogen? by hawguy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why don't they use Hydrogen for things like this (one-time use balloon) and preserve more Helium for scientific and medical use (and for safe party balloons)?

    Or is helium depletion no longer a pressing problem with the current natural gas boom?

    Hydrogen has been largely discredited as the root cause of the Hindenberg disaster, is it possible to use it safely in a high altitude research balloon?

    1. Re:Hydrogen? by Splab · · Score: 2

      Are you high or something? Or is scientific stuff only the stuff you approve of?

    2. Re:Hydrogen? by hawguy · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Are you high or something? Or is scientific stuff only the stuff you approve of?

      Well, I'm more interested in the medical usage - about six months ago, my dad had to reschedule an MRI, the imaging center said that there was a shortage of helium needed to run the unit. He had a non-critical need for his MRI so rescheduling was not a problem, but I have to think that the 30 million cubic feet of helium that they are venting to the atmosphere in this thrill ride would keep a lot of MRI machines running.

      http://www.fiercemedicalimaging.com/story/helium-shortage-threatens-access-mri-services/2012-09-23

    3. Re:Hydrogen? by vlm · · Score: 3, Informative

      Why don't they use Hydrogen for things like this

      Aside from the obvious hair shirt trolling, you can talk to the ham radio guys who launch balloons with radio repeaters slung underneath them.

      You'd superficially think the very slightly lower weight of H2 would make H2 lift more than He, but after all manner of handwaving it turns out that very cold low pressure helium displaces more air at altitude. So 100 Liters of H2 and He at STP, hauled up 100Kft, supposedly that results in a slightly higher volume of He than H2. I honestly don't care enough to research it, but urban legend or no its an entertaining story. And you're not solving it with ideal gas laws (need non-ideal gas laws/tables)

      Because H2 comes from natgas and He comes from natgas the obvious next calculation is if the larger balloon outweighs (get it?) the advantage of cheaper filling.

      You could probably create a whole low level undergrad or maybe AP high school science lab out of determining if the first claim is true or made up and secondly which would overall as a system be cheaper aka less damaging to the environment.

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    4. Re:Hydrogen? by Darth_brooks · · Score: 0

      Except that medical grade helium and the crap they fill party balloons with are two different things.

      --
      There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell 'em.
    5. Re:Hydrogen? by hawguy · · Score: 1

      Except that medical grade helium and the crap they fill party balloons with are two different things.

      I thought all helium came out of the ground, captured from natural gas wells. There may be some grades that are more refined than other, but the ultimate source is the same - and is very limited.

    6. Re:Hydrogen? by tokul · · Score: 1

      Hydrogen has been largely discredited as the root cause of the Hindenberg disaster

      Hydrogen did not cause those sparks, but it burned damn well.

    7. Re:Hydrogen? by hawguy · · Score: 1

      You'd superficially think the very slightly lower weight of H2 would make H2 lift more than He, but after all manner of handwaving it turns out that very cold low pressure helium displaces more air at altitude.

      The density of H2 is about half that of He, though in air the buoyancy difference is around 8%.

      So 100 Liters of H2 and He at STP, hauled up 100Kft, supposedly that results in a slightly higher volume of He than H2. I honestly don't care enough to research it, but urban legend or no its an entertaining story. And you're not solving it with ideal gas laws (need non-ideal gas laws/tables)

      Do you have a reference for this? In school, we were taught that the ideal gas law works best at high temperatures and low pressures, even at -30C (240K), far from the boiling point of Hydrogen and Helium, it seems that the low pressure at high altitude would still enable the ideal gas law to provide a good approximation of the behavior of the gases.

      Because H2 comes from natgas and He comes from natgas the obvious next calculation is if the larger balloon outweighs (get it?) the advantage of cheaper filling.

      Since many sources are claiming that Helium is sold below its true value, it's not a fair comparison. Hydrogen can be cracked out of Methane in nearly unlimited quantities. Helium is more rare and has to be extracted from the natural gas.

    8. Re:Hydrogen? by SpzToid · · Score: 1
      --
      You can't be ahead of the curve, if you're stuck in a loop.
    9. Re:Hydrogen? by Iskender · · Score: 4, Informative

      Except that medical grade helium and the crap they fill party balloons with are two different things.

      Helium is an element. It won't break down, and actually due to being helium it won't even form compounds. The only problem is that it leaks into space, never to return.

      If helium is mixed up with other elements you can purify it. Compared to purifying gold ore it's probably child's play.

      The line about balloon helium being somehow different from important helium is actually the standard line of the balloon manufacturers. But it makes no scientific sense, so don't listen to it.

    10. Re:Hydrogen? by pnot · · Score: 3, Informative

      Except that medical grade helium and the crap they fill party balloons with are two different things.

      No, they're the same thing subjected to different degrees of refinement. Everything from balloon helium to the highest-grade purified lab helium come from the same limited sources.

      The volume of the Red Bull Stratos balloon is close to a cubic kilometre. Factoring in the practice jumps and aborted launches, I'd estimate that this project could easily be accounting for over 3% of US helium consumption this year.

      I think it's perfectly reasonable to ask why hydrogen is not a viable alternative. There are probably some good, valid answers to that question, but I don't think that yours is one of them. And we do need a longer, louder discussion of how helium usage should be prioritized: it's neither renewable nor (in many applications) substitutable.

    11. Re:Hydrogen? by pnot · · Score: 1

      Oops, please ignore my embarrassing "cubic kilometre" miscalculation... it's about 850,000 cubic metres which of course is nowhere near. However (unless my brain's really malfunctioning today) I think I got the proportion of US usage right -- it was about 56 million cubic metres last year.

    12. Re:Hydrogen? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      The crap they fill helium party balloons is mostly waste from medical uses.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    13. Re:Hydrogen? by tinkerton · · Score: 1

      Why don't they use Hydrogen for things like this (one-time use balloon) and preserve more Helium for scientific and medical use (and for safe party balloons)?

      I agree. It's a waste of a precious resource. Scientists have rung the alarm bell already on that one.

    14. Re:Hydrogen? by tinkerton · · Score: 1

      The line about balloon helium being somehow different from important helium is actually the standard line of the balloon manufacturers.

      . That's news to me. I would have thought they'd just have argued that they're just following market rules - and they'd have a point.

    15. Re:Hydrogen? by khallow · · Score: 1

      Why don't they use Hydrogen for things like this (one-time use balloon) and preserve more Helium for scientific and medical use (and for safe party balloons)?

      What's wrong with this usage of helium? And if helium were truly scarce, those scientific and medical uses would be recycling their helium.

    16. Re:Hydrogen? by khallow · · Score: 1

      Some helium is pure enough to put in medical equipment and some is pure enough to put in party balloons. Make a guess what's in the balloon?

    17. Re:Hydrogen? by zmooc · · Score: 2

      Helium is not scarce yet. But it soon will be; 75% of all Helium comes from a handful of gas wells in the US, where the helium content in natural gas is the highest. These are expected to pretty much run out in a decade or so.

      Until that happens, helium recycling isn't really economically profitable. That's why. Nevertheless, some recycling initiatives are going on.

      http://www.edmontonjournal.com/University+Alberta+looks+become+leader+helium+recycling/6937916/story.html

      --
      0x or or snor perron?!
    18. Re:Hydrogen? by hawguy · · Score: 2

      Some helium is pure enough to put in medical equipment and some is pure enough to put in party balloons. Make a guess what's in the balloon?

      But all helium is able to be purified to any degree -- just because they can allow more impurities in helium meant for balloons doesn't mean that the same helium couldn't be used in an MRI machine if it were purified further. It all (mostly) comes from the same source, the only difference is in how much they purify it.

    19. Re:Hydrogen? by StormCrow · · Score: 2

      Your figures are still way off. 180,000 cubic feet / 5,097 cubic meters is the spec for how much helium they're using, the 850,000 cubic meters is the volume at full altitude and minimal atmospheric pressure.

    20. Re:Hydrogen? by imsabbel · · Score: 1

      Also, that is the volume of tha balloon at terminal altitude, where air pressure is less than a kPa.

      --
      HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
    21. Re:Hydrogen? by _Sharp'r_ · · Score: 1

      If you actually believe that, then you stand to make a huge profit on Helium in a decade, right? Just store up some helium, or buy some on the futures market and you can be rich!!!!

      You'll show those evil capitalists who think the person who is willing to pay the highest price for something is the one who should get to use it how they want!

      Or, you might note that the reason "75% of all Helium comes from a handful of gas wells in the US, where the helium content in natural gas is the highest." is because it's currently the cheapest to extract there, but that pretty much all the other natural gas wells are currently just wasting their Helium because it's not worth extracting, but if those "75%" ever fall off in production enough to make it worthwhile, they'll just pickup the slack and start capturing it at a slightly higher cost.

      Have you ever considered WHY helium recycling isn't really economically profitable?

      --
      The party of stupid and the party of evil get together and do something both stupid and evil, then call it bipartisan.
    22. Re:Hydrogen? by Xylantiel · · Score: 5, Informative

      My impression from the previous discussion on this was that helium shortage is a fictional crisis. Medical usages don't do helium recovery, which is where most of the loss occurs. Also the main source of helium - as a by-product of natural gas extraction - just vents most of it because its not worth capturing it. So complaining about "misuse" is nonsense. If one is really worried about a helium shortage one should be pushing for recovery in its biggest usage context and stockpiling. Neither of these are being discussed, so apparently this isn't actually serious.

    23. Re:Hydrogen? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What hydrogen? If helium is nearly gone, then surely hydrogen, which is even lighter, is even closer to depletion.

    24. Re:Hydrogen? by ThatsMyNick · · Score: 1

      Mod UP! Finally some sense in this thread.

    25. Re:Hydrogen? by khallow · · Score: 1

      It costs money to purify helium to greater degree and it costs money to store and transport such helium. Thus, it is possible to run out of medical grade helium without actually running out of helium.

    26. Re:Hydrogen? by EnglishTim · · Score: 1

      *heh* Nice troll.

    27. Re:Hydrogen? by tinkerton · · Score: 1

      I can't tell, with what all the people believe in. But your confidence in mankind is touching :)

    28. Re:Hydrogen? by hawguy · · Score: 2

      It costs money to purify helium to greater degree and it costs money to store and transport such helium. Thus, it is possible to run out of medical grade helium without actually running out of helium.

      I don't see how that's possible. Any helium can be purified, so if you have a truckload of "dirty" helium, you can purify it and use it for medical uses. But if you run out of helium, you have no helium for any use.

    29. Re:Hydrogen? by hawguy · · Score: 1

      What hydrogen? If helium is nearly gone, then surely hydrogen, which is even lighter, is even closer to depletion.

      Actually, Hydrogen is not lighter than Helium -- they are the exact same weight, when you compare samples of equivalent mass.

    30. Re:Hydrogen? by Iskender · · Score: 1

      It was news to me too, and here's the news item:

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19676639

      But John Lee, the association's chairman insisted that the helium its members put into balloons, was not depriving the medical profession of the gas.

      "The helium we use is not pure," he said. "It's recycled from the gas which is used in the medical industry, and mixed with air. We call it balloon gas rather than helium for that reason.

      "There is no way the balloon and party industry would even consider taking badly-needed helium from the medical profession. That is important - people have to come first.

      "If I thought this industry was taking helium away from the medical profession, I would be looking at doing things differently."

    31. Re:Hydrogen? by sjames · · Score: 1

      The Helium is mixed in with the natgas, true, but it doesn't come FROM the natgas. We have many many more sources of hydrogen available, including renewable biogas or electrolysis of water. We have to wait a very looooong time for more helium from alpha decay.

      The big reason for using helium seems to be the artificially low price and fear of the Hindenburg. The latter shouldn't be a big deal for the far more common unmanned balloons.

    32. Re:Hydrogen? by pnot · · Score: 1

      Hmm yes, good point. So I could try to do some basic physics and figure out the equivalent volume at ground level, but given my track record thus far, maybe I'll just get me coat.

    33. Re:Hydrogen? by musth · · Score: 3, Insightful

      History and the modern world are fraught with examples of people wasting resources without adequate planning for the future. Deferring to market-think doesn't make that problem go away. Overconfidence in the market is what causes or exacerbates a high percentage of our problems.

      Even if it WERE true that the market would probably respond to a helium shortage by supplying additional quantities, that doesn't change the fact that one asshole, who wants glory badly enough and who has enough power and resources to make people assist him in his goal, can use much more of a resource than any person has a right to, given the current state of affairs and supply of that resource. As another commenter said, healthcare is RATIONING helium, right now.

    34. Re:Hydrogen? by tyrione · · Score: 1

      Learn basic Inorganic Chemistry and stop listening to bio majors, or better yet the idiot tech spreading fud at the MRI system who charges too damn much for the service and the hospital rationalizes as ``still having to pay for this investment,''....

    35. Re:Hydrogen? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      My company makes use of quite a lot of helium. We produce instrumentation for materials science research. Our product line has shifted to systems with built in helium recovery because the cost of helium is now high enough for research facilities to demand it. I'd argue that the helium shortage is quite real.

    36. Re:Hydrogen? by dkf · · Score: 1

      Hydrogen can be cracked out of Methane in nearly unlimited quantities.

      And if we ever do run short from that source, there's a mind-boggling amount available by splitting water; all it takes is a little acid and plenty of electricity. Right now, getting it from methane is much cheaper, but we're definitely not about to run short of hydrogen...

      --
      "Little does he know, but there is no 'I' in 'Idiot'!"
    37. Re:Hydrogen? by jfanning · · Score: 1

      Many years ago I used to let weather balloons go for a living. They were all filled with hydrogen and I never managed to blow anything up by _accident_ :-).

      Of course hydrogen is pretty damn flammable and even a small amount makes a nice bang, so I really wouldn't want to use it in anything that involved carrying people.

      These recent stories about teams getting to 30km+ with their balloons and being all over the news makes me laugh as well. I used to do that twice a day. The only thing missing back then were the miniature cameras.

    38. Re:Hydrogen? by delt0r · · Score: 1

      And you're not solving it with ideal gas laws (need non-ideal gas laws/tables).

      No you don't. At low pressures the ideal gas laws get more accurate, not less. Consider than H2 gas is a molecule and He is mono atomic. Now also consider that the gas will almost certainly not be in thermal equilibrium with its surroundings. Its is easy to see that there *could* be a difference. Also fully explainable by the ideal gas laws.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    39. Re:Hydrogen? by tokul · · Score: 1

      I used to do that twice a day.

      Did you do that with miniature people attached to those balloons? Did you have RedBull marketing department on your back?

    40. Re:Hydrogen? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did you do that with miniature people attached to those balloons? Did you have RedBull marketing department on your back?

      No little people, just radiosondes. And I had the backing of the NZ Government :-)

  14. An error occurred. Please try again later. by mabsalom · · Score: 1

    Hard to get entertainment like that these days.

  15. If he falls to his death.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    does that mean Redbull is guilty of false advertising? After all, it didn't give him wings.

  16. Youtube link to the live feed by KatchooNJ · · Score: 2

    Here is the direct URL to Youtube, in case the Red Bull Stratos site isn't working for people:

    http://www.youtube.com/user/redbull?v=MrIxH6DToXQ

    --
    "Never give up, for that is just the time and place when the tide will change." -Harriet Beecher Stowe ^_^
    1. Re:Youtube link to the live feed by DaTrueDave · · Score: 1

      Too bad YouTube can't handle the traffic, either...

    2. Re:Youtube link to the live feed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Er, it handled a 1080p stream very well for me. May be it depends on your location.

    3. Re:Youtube link to the live feed by DaTrueDave · · Score: 1

      I thought maybe they were "blacking out" certain areas? Other YouTube videos worked fine for me at the time. Weird...

      First time I've been glad we still have "cable" in a long, long time.

    4. Re:Youtube link to the live feed by antdude · · Score: 1

      "The uploader has not made this video available.
      Sorry about that."

      Is there a recording of this since I am way late? :)

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  17. Secondary outcome... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If he winds up landing in a zoo, he could really become One with the Tiger.

  18. Re:ha! by Splab · · Score: 3, Interesting

    For me Red Bull sure is doing a lot for pushing science - granted, it's mostly "How can I make this go faster with less safety" - but the result of their various experiments are helping the greater good, just think about all the advancements in the field of patching people up after "Hey, Y'all watch this" moments.

  19. Is this actually happening? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do the shots of the capsule look like CGI to anyone else? The shading seems too smooth, and the lens flares off of the sun look a bit too perfect... Maybe it's the material the capsule is made of?

    1. Re:Is this actually happening? by Sique · · Score: 2

      The capsule is made from polycarbonates, not from metal. Thus it is just bright, not shiny.

      --
      .sig: Sique *sigh*
    2. Re:Is this actually happening? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thanks. It seems inevitable that this type of event will be hoaxed as publicity stunt in the future, when all of the images and information we get about it is "brought to us" by companies like RedBull.

    3. Re:Is this actually happening? by Stratus311 · · Score: 1

      Maybe you're watching the promo video for the jump, which WAS CGI.

      Honestly, was this just a troll post?

  20. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  21. Re:ha! by vlm · · Score: 2

    if it helps people become more interested

    An interesting, almost too serious /. poll would be what inspired you as a /.er-type person whatever you call yourself.

    For me it was hard sci fi and the feeling I could get involved in amateur science type stuff much more so than watching others perform vaguely technical stunts. Stunts are for the grade school kids who didn't care, watched a stunt on TV for 5 minutes with modest curiosity, still don't care.

    Clarke and Asimov and ham radio and owning a cheap microscope and cheap telescope and a computer had a hell of a lot more to do with it than those taco bell guys who offered a free taco if their floating target was hit by pieces of the re-entering Mir space station.

    On the other side I think the guy is pretty impressive to have hacked the overall corporate system to get to do something that to him is pretty cool. If he gets turned into a bug on the windshield, perhaps I could convince red bull to sponsor me doing my hobby... I'm sure no one else cares, and that wouldn't even be the point, merely that I would enjoy having someone else pay for my "hobby" probably at the cost of bolting on some corporate logo...

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  22. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    You're assuming he doesn't die.

  23. NOW HE CAN TELL US WHAT A BUG FEELS LIKE !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    when it hits the windsscreen !! It is not a good day to jump !! It's never a good day to jump !! Don't do it !!

  24. Re:No helmet heat?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    No it said -45F a few seconds ago. That's nothing really. Here in Minnesota we get that cold every winter and that doesn't stop anyone from being out there for prolonged periods.

    If the entire jump lasts less than 10 mins the worst that could happen is he might get some chapped lips and perhaps a touch of frost bite on his nose.

    *shrug*

  25. Re:No helmet heat?? by Zocalo · · Score: 1

    According to the live feed it's still being troubleshooted as at 94,000ft, so still no progress. Presumably there are other heaters on the suit that can keep him warm enough during the descent, so the only issue I could see would be if the lack of helmet heating might cause the helmet visor to mist up during descent. There is no talk about aborting the jump at all on the feed, so I'd guess it's not a critical issue.

    --
    UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
  26. Dreadful commentary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Absolutely terrible commentary - where did they find this guy?

  27. Re:ha! by JustOK · · Score: 1

    ALL: The Greater Good.

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  28. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    It is still worth watching. It will still be considered a historic attempt.

  29. Re:No helmet heat?? by vlm · · Score: 1

    It's around 12C in the capsule, but outside it would be -45C plus wind factor of several hundred km/h. If the heat in his helmet is really not working, I guess they probably will abort the jump?

    Well, here's someone who's never lived thru a Wisconsin blizzard. When the weather's like that up here, not only do we not have heated helmets, we have fat guys strip to the waste and body paint a big "G" on their belly to get their picture on TV during football games. Of course that takes about a six pack of beer and our parachutist probably doesn't have a keg up there, or if he does its full of red bull energy drink not Miller. A better comparison would be motorcyclists and everyone up here knows at least one lunatic who goes out riding in the winter (very dangerous due to the loose gravel and road salt, not to mention ice slicks)

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  30. Re:No helmet heat?? by JustOK · · Score: 1

    You could see fog forming inside the helmet with each breath

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  31. live map of the fall by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You can follow where he is live here:

    http://blog.cartodb.com/post/33236163160/a-120-000-feet-freefall-jump-live-map-powered-by

    or here, if you want the video feed and the map in the same window:

    http://jatorre.github.com/stratos/index.html

  32. No server problems if you don't use a server by mrCasual · · Score: 1

    It's also on The Discovery Channel HD, so you can watch it old school. The broadcast on Discovery is a little in front of the Youtube broadcast, by about 1000 feet of ascent. So, it's like time travelling into the future!!!

    1. Re:No server problems if you don't use a server by mrCasual · · Score: 2

      On the other hand, there are commercials. The future is a whore.

  33. 1st record just broken by BiophysicalLOVE · · Score: 1

    Highest altitude in a manned balloon just broken...

  34. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by lennier1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    If it goes wrong it'll still set a record for the most expensive attempt to dig a hole to China without the use of a shovel.

  35. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by JustOK · · Score: 1

    It would put him in the Indian Ocean, southern hemisphere, roughly at -34.45221847282653, 75.2783203125

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  36. Re:No helmet heat?? by BiophysicalLOVE · · Score: 1

    Just confirmed that he is to jump

  37. This is taking FOREVER by shurel · · Score: 0

    ...get on with it.

  38. AN ERROR OCCURRED; PLEASE TRY AGAIN LATER by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Thanks, redbull stratos & youtube.

    Seems like some people can watch this, others can't.

    Maybe the real story is that Youtube's been slashdotted?

    1. Re:AN ERROR OCCURRED; PLEASE TRY AGAIN LATER by Megane · · Score: 2

      FYI, youtube is up to 6.58 million "watching now".

      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
  39. Egress checklist... by malakai · · Score: 2

    That was a bit akward. Not sure if it was a communication issue or nerves, but he was not responding to the request to begin the egress checklist and said something I couldn't hear that definitely didn't sound like confidence. Looks like he eventually pulled it together, and you could hear the relief in the communication managers voice.

    1. Re:Egress checklist... by Megane · · Score: 1

      I think he just forgot to hit the talk switch. Still, he could've been more communicative.

      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    2. Re:Egress checklist... by jampola · · Score: 1

      "Still, he could've been more communicative"

      You try step out of a balloon at 39km above the earth and try communicate properly! I certainly would've needed many layers of underwear!

    3. Re:Egress checklist... by malakai · · Score: 2

      I get the sense he didn't have the level of discipline with regards to the checklist procedure as say a military trained pilot or astronaut. He became silent, uncommunicative, and did things out of order. I get the sense this was just a really really tall BASE jump for him. I kept waiting for him to jump out with a hose still attached, because he kept putting the vent hose back in after the checklist told him to remove it.

    4. Re:Egress checklist... by Megane · · Score: 1

      I meant during the checklist. That's kind of something you don't want to fuck up.

      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    5. Re:Egress checklist... by c.derby · · Score: 1

      maybe... except baumgartner is military trained.

      --
      -- derby
    6. Re:Egress checklist... by hpoul · · Score: 1

      well at least the german wikipedia entry (not that i cared to check the sources) reads "Da er laut eigener Aussage Probleme damit hatte, sich unterzuordnen und dumme Befehle“ zu befolgen, wurde er als militärisch ungeeignet eingestuft und aus dem Bundesheer entlassen." (he was dismissed from the "armed forces" because, according to him, he had problems following "dumb orders" .. go figure..)

      --
      Find me at http://herbert.poul.at
    7. Re:Egress checklist... by hutsell · · Score: 1

      I get the sense he didn't have the level of discipline with regards to the checklist procedure as say a military trained pilot or astronaut. He became silent, uncommunicative, and did things out of order. ...

      Your explanation about your observations was far better than a similar, less articulate (side-tracked) comment based on my prior military experience and general aviation training that I made at the beginning of TFS (and the pre-summary before this one was accepted) .

      No disrespect is meant to everyone involved in the mission, but (imho) the formality and discipline of implementing the checklist to confirm every necessary action was in fact being performed, occasionally had a few worrisome glitches between both Baumgartner and Kittinger (including some staff supported back pedalling) that worsened after my first comment.

      Now that the mission was a success; the issues are minimized. However, it would be interesting to know what was going on with the problem in the step Kittinger initially skipped because he, rightly or wrongly, assumed could be skipped.

      --
      Yesterday's Weirdness is Tomorrow's Reason Why
    8. Re:Egress checklist... by tqk · · Score: 1

      he was dismissed from the "armed forces" because, according to him, he had problems following "dumb orders"

      'Sounds like Chuck Yeager, except for the dismissed part.

      --
      "Tongue tied and twisted, just an Earth bound misfit ..." -- Pink Floyd.
    9. Re:Egress checklist... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wasn't the skipped (then unskipped) step the visor heater turned up to 10? Earlier that day he was saying the visor heater was turned up to 10 but he was still fogging it up. Yes the red light was on. Then they unskipped it because there was another clause in there that they wanted confirmation of.

    10. Re:Egress checklist... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, according to his Wikipedia page, he WAS a military parachute jumper.

  40. Famous last word by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I wonder what he will say to mark the occasion. I opt for "A giant leap for man, a small step for mankind"

    1. Re:Famous last word by jrmcc · · Score: 5, Funny

      Nope - "Redbull gives you wiiiiiings!"

  41. Re:LAME by Megane · · Score: 1, Troll

    No sound barrier, less speed than a Nomad. Lame.

    --
    #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
  42. And he just landed by magic+maverick+ · · Score: 2

    He's on the ground. It was a successful jump, and the first person has come up to him. It looks like he has the world record, I think it was more than 39 000 meters!

    Well done. But hell, bloody scary I'm sure. I'd love to do the parachute stage, but not the free fall.

    --
    HELP MY ACCOUNT HAS BEEN HACKED BY AN ILLIBERAL ART STUDENT SET TO DESTROY THE INTERWEBZ!
    1. Re:And he just landed by jampola · · Score: 1

      That was bloody amazing to watch :)

    2. Re:And he just landed by lauless · · Score: 1

      That was bloody amazing to watch :)

      Yes it was...very exhilarating!

  43. Was the highest speed at 1176 km/h? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Was the highest speed at 1176 km/h?

    Darn close...

  44. Re:LAME by mrmagos · · Score: 2

    Yeah, what a jerk. He only broke the record for the highest manned balloon flight, highest freefall and fastest freefall. How dare he only break 3 out of 4 records and narrowly miss mach!? Not to mention all the data he collected. But you're right, his guy just seriously needs to go away.

    --
    Never start vast projects with half-vast ideas.
  45. For an official record ... by MartinSchou · · Score: 4, Funny

    For it to be an official record, doesn't he need to do it twice, once in each direction?

    1. Re:For an official record ... by thatskinnyguy · · Score: 1

      For an English national record maybe.

      --
      The game.
    2. Re:For an official record ... by ZombieBraintrust · · Score: 1

      What is the other direction? Falling up?

    3. Re:For an official record ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For it to be an official record, doesn't he need to do it twice, once in each direction?

      easy. just use a bungee cord.

    4. Re:For an official record ... by Hentes · · Score: 3, Funny

      Jumping on the opposite side of Earth would make him fall in the other direction.

    5. Re:For an official record ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Jumping on the opposite side of Earth would make him fall in the other direction.

      You're not witty, and no it wouldn't. Down is the equivalent of saying "toward the Earth", an up is the equivalent of saying "away from the Earth". Since you can't free-fall away from the Earth, you're stupid for posting your comment.

    6. Re:For an official record ... by 3dr · · Score: 1

      This is now declared "legit."

    7. Re:For an official record ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You gargle jizz, and your mother dresses you in laderhosen.

      Also you're a faggot and a cunt.

    8. Re:For an official record ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For it to be an official record, doesn't he need to do it twice, once in each direction?

      actually he already did.

    9. Re:For an official record ... by uvajed_ekil · · Score: 1

      Maybe if he were attempting an official land speed record according to FIA rules, yes. But he wasn't, so rules for cars don't apply, obviously. Plus "free fall" and skydiving usually only happen in one general direction. Find another technicality.

      --
      This is a hacked account, for which the owner can not be held responsible.
  46. I've misread it as... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

    "Baumgartner is ground, and apparently fine(ly)."

    I don't get it how this has anything to emergency bailouts from spacecrafts, as the commentator claimed. It's one thing to jump from a stationary balloon, a completely different thing to try to bail out from a vehicle flying in the Mach 5-25 range.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
    1. Re:I've misread it as... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought it was stranger that he seemed to imply that you would just strap this suit on when you're falling out of the sky.

    2. Re:I've misread it as... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's basic science dude, control your variables. Velocity is a variable. Do the jump at low relative velocities and you can learn what's going on. Have to know that so you don't leave out something vital. Later, add the velocity and know you've accounted for the rest.

    3. Re:I've misread it as... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      I've obviously missed that part (I've only seen the end). Now that you're telling me this, I'm actually happy about that. It saved me a lot of cringing for the next time when I'll need it. :-)

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  47. Speed_of_sound 1,236 km/h by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Forgot to add:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_sound

    The speed of sound is the distance travelled during a unit of time by a sound wave propagating through an elastic medium. In dry air at 20 C (68 F), the speed of sound is 343.2 metres per second (1,126 ft/s). This is 1,236 kilometres per hour (768 mph), or about one kilometer in three seconds or approximately one mile in five seconds.

    1. Re:Speed_of_sound 1,236 km/h by rochrist · · Score: 5, Informative

      The speed of sound varies with air pressure. At 100,000 ft, the SoS is actually 680mph.

    2. Re:Speed_of_sound 1,236 km/h by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Speed of sound does NOT vary with pressure. It varies as the square root of temperature. At high altitudes, it's cold, so sound velocity is lower

    3. Re:Speed_of_sound 1,236 km/h by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      False. Air pressure is not a variable in the speed of sound. It is a function only of the air temperature.

    4. Re:Speed_of_sound 1,236 km/h by Bomazi · · Score: 3, Informative

      The speed of sound varies with temperature. The formula is 'c = 165.8 + 0.6 * T', with c in m/s and T in K. See this simulation of Baumgartner's jump.

    5. Re:Speed_of_sound 1,236 km/h by Bomazi · · Score: 1

      The previous plot was based on old data. Here is a revised plot based on actual flight data (start height: 39045m, max speed: 373m/s).

    6. Re:Speed_of_sound 1,236 km/h by Trogre · · Score: 1

      Hmm, interesting plot, thanks for that. I would have thought his speed would have levelled much more asymptotically. Do you have a source? Thanks.

      --
      "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
    7. Re:Speed_of_sound 1,236 km/h by Bomazi · · Score: 1

      This is a simulation that I coded myself.

      The first half of the trajectory should match the real thing quite well.

      The second half is indeed slightly steeper than in reality. The final altitude is about half what it should be. This is due to some simplifying assumptions (in particular that of a constant drag coefficient).

      However note that local terminal velocity decreases with altitude (due to an increase in air density), so the real curve is not as flat as you might think.

  48. Re:LAME by phantomfive · · Score: 0

    he didn't break the sound barrier and he didn't beat the longest free fall either. what a fucking asshole. he was 30 mph too slow to break sound and 30 seconds too short on the free fall. what a god damn prick. i never wanna see this dickhead again.

    Uh, he didn't hurt you, or anyone else. He did something he thought was fun, and was harmless. For that, you do nothing but insult him. YOU didn't break the sound barrier. What is your problem?

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
  49. Spin by sackbut · · Score: 2

    Looks like for a while in free fall he was actually in a spin and admitted to passing out. You could see the flickering/tumbling of his image on the video feed from the ground. Managed to pull it out though.

    1. Re:Spin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He did not pass out. That would have have been fatal for him.

    2. Re:Spin by delt0r · · Score: 1

      He did pass out in a previous jump. So no its not fatal.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
  50. Major FAIL on marketing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    When he landed they should have given him a "Red Bull" rather than a bottle of water.

    1. Re:Major FAIL on marketing by TrekkieGod · · Score: 3, Insightful

      When he landed they should have given him a "Red Bull" rather than a bottle of water.

      Concern for his well being should supersede marketing concerns. So I call that a major WIN.

      --

      Warning: Opinions known to be heavily biased.

    2. Re:Major FAIL on marketing by Shoten · · Score: 2

      When he landed they should have given him a "Red Bull" rather than a bottle of water.

      I think he was probably so hopped up on adrenaline after landing that if they gave him a Red Bull he would have detonated like a water balloon filled with ketchup.

      --

      For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
  51. Did youtube also die for others ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Youtube just died .... did they host this event and got slashdotted ?

    1. Re:Did youtube also die for others ? by ThreeHeadedMonkey · · Score: 1

      I'm getting that too, possibly due to the ~7.1 million concurrent viewers of the jump.

  52. Re:LAME by Russ1642 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I find it amazing that he didn't break the sound barrier. How can their calculations have been wrong? I would have thought with the effort that went into this they'd have been able to predict exactly how fast he'd go, how high he'd jump from, etc.

  53. Re:LAME by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

    If the estimated speed on screen during his jump was anything to go by, he smashed the sound barrier (though that is yet to be confirmed). The only record he didn't come away with was longest (duration) free fall, which is still held by Kittinger. It's not clear yet why he pulled his chute early, although he sounded like he was worrying about something.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  54. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Hal_Porter · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Things like this are good to show your kids to demonstrate what a Real American can do with guts and determination and also to show them the indomitability of the American spirit and how we don't need to take any God damn shit from the Chinks, Japs, Eurotrash etc.

    If he had have died it would have additionally shown your kids that jumping off high things is very dangerous.

    So really it's win/win.

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  55. Re:ha! by TheLink · · Score: 1

    If it's just Red Bull footing the bill and not taxpayers, then it's up to them whether it's a waste or not. I think they definitely did get quite a lot of visibility from this project.

    I think it's a pretty good experiment in video live streaming. The London Olympics probably was bigger . But from what I see this one's pretty big too.

    --
  56. Re:No helmet heat?? by codepunk · · Score: 1

    To be fair though I am not sure that my bunny fur bomber hat would fit inside of that helmet. I have however been snowmobiling at some amazingly cold temperatures -30+ F. As long as the skin is not directly exposed at those temps life is good. A small leak however or a few seconds of exposed skin and frostbite is immediate.

    When it is that cold though my first thought is to grab a ice auger, beer and go fishing.

    --


    Got Code?
  57. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm guessing this was a joke. For anyone who didn't know, he's Austrian.

  58. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by magic+maverick+ · · Score: 4, Informative

    You are a moron. Felix Baumgartner is an Austrian (you know, from Austria, in Europe). The company sponsoring the event, Red Bull, is also Austrian. So ah, I guess, fuck you.

    --
    HELP MY ACCOUNT HAS BEEN HACKED BY AN ILLIBERAL ART STUDENT SET TO DESTROY THE INTERWEBZ!
  59. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Things like this are good to show your kids to demonstrate what a Real American can do with guts and determination and also to show them the indomitability of the American spirit and how we don't need to take any God damn shit from the Chinks, Japs, Eurotrash etc.

    If he had have died it would have additionally shown your kids that jumping off high things is very dangerous.

    So really it's win/win.

    Except he is Austrian.....

  60. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Things like this are good to show your kids to demonstrate what a Real Austrian can do with guts and determination and also to show them the indomitability of the Austrian spirit and how we don't need to take any God damn shit from the Chinks, Japs, Eurotrash etc.

    If he had have died it would have additionally shown your kids that jumping off high things is very dangerous.

    So really it's win/win.

    Fixed that for you.

  61. It's a spacesuit window defogger by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    His face visor fogged up, and that's what the helmet heater is supposed to prevent. The air in the suit for the duration he's exposed isn't going to get cold enough to frostbite anyways. It's likely for about 3 minutes of his freefall he couldn't see jack. So much for the nice view he may have been looking forward to. He broke most of the records except for longest freefall, and that's because he was going too fast to get that one before hitting the altitude where he had to pull the chute.

    I think he was going half-blind and a little fustrated due to that, that's why he was asking for some direction from ground. It also sounded like he was holding his breath a little to limit the visor fogging. Successful otherwise.

    Coverage was great, if NASA wants some better PR on manned missions there is still a little they could copy from that.

    Just over 2 hours to get up, and under 10min back down. Little bit of worrysome tumble on the start, but a real nice recovery once he hit thicker air. Quite a trip!

  62. Kittinger gets to keep at least one record by binarstu · · Score: 1

    The preliminary reports are that Baumgartner did not break the record for longest free fall. That record was (and evidently still is) held by Joe Kittinger, the man who previously held the record for highest jump and who was the only person allowed to talk directly to Baumgartner from mission control. Did Baumgartner do this on purpose? I seriously doubt it, but it is neat in a way that Kittinger gets to keep that record.

    1. Re:Kittinger gets to keep at least one record by greg1104 · · Score: 1

      It seems contrary to aim at the record for highest downward velocity and the one for longest freefall time at the same time.

    2. Re:Kittinger gets to keep at least one record by Golden_Rider · · Score: 1

      It seems contrary to aim at the record for highest downward velocity and the one for longest freefall time at the same time.

      Exactly. It is kind of obvious that if you jump from a height not THAT much higher than the previous record and try to set a new record speed while falling down, you won't be able to also set the record for taking the most time while doing so.

    3. Re:Kittinger gets to keep at least one record by Greyfox · · Score: 1

      Apparently Kittinger used a drogue chute. Since Felix wanted to hit the speed of sound, he probably didn't want something like that slowing him down.

      --

      I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  63. Re:No helmet heat?? by khallow · · Score: 1

    He has to pass through the troposphere/stratosphere boundary. That's both colder and somewhat denser air than he's in at 120k feet so more heat loss. I don't what he'll face, but I recall -70F around 70-80k feet was possible.

  64. How about 12 hours later? by bussdriver · · Score: 1

    No need to move, the earth rotates.

    1. Re:How about 12 hours later? by Hentes · · Score: 1

      True, but it's dangerous to do it in the dark. He would have to wait six months.

  65. Re:LAME by Alain+Williams · · Score: 1

    he didn't break the sound barrier and he didn't beat the longest free fall either. what a fucking asshole. he was 30 mph too slow to break sound and 30 seconds too short on the free fall. what a god damn prick. i never wanna see this dickhead again.

    OK: you show us how it should be done. Until then shut up!

  66. How much Helium was used... by idji · · Score: 1

    How much Helium was used?
    What happened to the ballon?
    What happened to the capsule?

    1. Re:How much Helium was used... by Megane · · Score: 3, Informative

      It is designed to cut from the balloon and land with its own parachute. Not only is there equipment in there that they need for every jump, it's his emergency return option. It wouldn't be the most comfortable landing, but it would be survivable.

      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    2. Re:How much Helium was used... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know, but it wasn't the total volume of the balloon. It expanded to something like 3x due to pressure differences. The balloon itself had vents on the top, but I think they just cut it off. The capsule parachuted back to earth.

    3. Re:How much Helium was used... by uvajed_ekil · · Score: 2

      How much Helium was used?

      One balloon full!

      --
      This is a hacked account, for which the owner can not be held responsible.
    4. Re:How much Helium was used... by idji · · Score: 1

      actually not a balloon full.. It was almost empty when launched, and filled up only at 120,000 feet. I read somewhere that it was "2 trucks" worth - would like to know more.

  67. Re:LOL. Single success; double FAIL. by Sique · · Score: 1

    He did manage to break the sound barrier. You didn't manage to get the sound barrier right.
    (Just some hints: 768 mph is the sound barrier at 1 bar pressure and 20C ambient temperature.)

    --
    .sig: Sique *sigh*
  68. Memes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That was truly and amazing thing to watch. I didn't even mind the wait. It actually made the jump more suspenseful.
    I made some memes to celebrate his and Red Bull's achievement.
    http://cmemes.com/felix/

  69. Re:LAME by TrekkieGod · · Score: 1

    I find it amazing that he didn't break the sound barrier. How can their calculations have been wrong? I would have thought with the effort that went into this they'd have been able to predict exactly how fast he'd go, how high he'd jump from, etc.

    I'm waiting for the press conference to confirm this, but from what I've read before, it's not a case of, "if you drop a human from that altitude, he will break the speed of sound." It required effort on his part. He needed to be in a stable aerodynamic flight, and instead he was tumbling all around. By the time he got stable, the air wasn't thin enough.

    --

    Warning: Opinions known to be heavily biased.

  70. Recording by Meneth · · Score: 1, Informative

    Did anyone record the live stream? Having missed the event itself, I'd like to watch it.

  71. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Get back in your kangaroo and piss off. No one cares about your pedantry.

  72. Re:ha! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do the United States still go to space? I thought they terminated the Shuttle program.

  73. Press Conference by KatchooNJ · · Score: 1

    The same link applies to the press conference, which is about to start.

    --
    "Never give up, for that is just the time and place when the tide will change." -Harriet Beecher Stowe ^_^
  74. Re:ha! by slimdave · · Score: 2

    I managed to drag my kids away from Minecraft from the moment the hatch opened to about a minute after he jumped, so although I don't know how many millions that cost, it was a price worth paying. Well done science!

  75. Re:No helmet heat?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I resemble that motorcyclist remark you insensitive clod.

  76. Re:LOL. Single success; double FAIL. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    why the hell he pulled the parachute so early?

    I haven't seen any post-fliight interviews; but I'll guess. His visor might have still been fogged. He probably couldn't read the altitude.

  77. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    AFAIK the only kangaroos in Austria are in the zoo.

  78. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1
    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  79. Precious helium and debris by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So how much of the dwindling supply of helium was used during this attempt?

    Where did/will the debris (balloon, capsule, etc.) fall?

    1. Re:Precious helium and debris by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Stuff a sock in your pie hole, Nancy!

    2. Re:Precious helium and debris by Jarik+C-Bol · · Score: 2

      Capsule was returned to earth via parachute, to be recovered. Balloon will land eventually, somewhere, or was dragged down by the capsule after being vented. The helium was not really much of a waste, because the Helium used for lifting operations like this is the waste helium that comes out of the process of making liquid helium for medical and scientific purposes. Turns out, you can only purify helium so far, and so you get a tank of nice clean liquid helium, and also tank with a mix of helium and various other gasses that is not useful for much besides party balloons and Felix Baumgartner's death wishes.

      --
      I've decided to Diversify my Holdings. I've divided my cash between my left and right pockets, instead of all in one.
    3. Re:Precious helium and debris by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why does medical helium need to be pure ? It's only used as a refrigerant, it's not used internally.

    4. Re:Precious helium and debris by Jarik+C-Bol · · Score: 1

      the purer it is, the more effective a coolant it is.

      --
      I've decided to Diversify my Holdings. I've divided my cash between my left and right pockets, instead of all in one.
  80. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by tqk · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... roughly at -34.45221847282653, 75.2783203125

    That's roughly? Are you a Vulcan, or positronic?

    --
    "Tongue tied and twisted, just an Earth bound misfit ..." -- Pink Floyd.
  81. Re:LAME by Russ1642 · · Score: 1

    Ok, he did go mach 1.24 so apparently they can do math. Good for you Felix, you crazy, crazy, suicidal man.

  82. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 0

    Red Bull is Thai.

    The grandparent is an obvious false-flag troll, why even bother replying? Nationalist bigots can't spell "indomitable".

    --
    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  83. Previous future successful attempts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    IIRC, Kirk, Sulu and a redshirt will do this in some alternate reality, and in yet another reality, Kirk does it again

  84. Sometimes people get lucky doing stupid things by musth · · Score: 0

    The hype and the $$$-making for Red Bull and Baumgartner might be just started. I'm surprised he made it; there was quite a bit of luck involved. There were and are many unknowns, especially wrt physiological reaction of the body. He might have suffered damage that emerges as time goes by.

    One aspect of the hype that isn't scrutinized much is the claim that this was some kind of unprotected jump, man against atmosphere, etc. etc. In reality, Baumgartner was encased in a highy-engineered protective enclosure which happened to fit very closely to the outlines of his body. Other protective enclosures, such as cockpits of aircraft, happen to be much larger and more massive. What he did was still very risky (and stupid), but as usual with this kind of thing the hype gets people carried away from reality.

    We also need to re-examine the value we as a society place on *risk* and *risk-takers*, as opposed to things like *wisdom*, *moderation*, *shared benefit*, and other such qualities that are so unexciting, unprofitable, and resilient to hyped media coverage. This jump was another example of the techno-frenzy ideology which has captured the planners of society, especially US society, and which is leading us down entirely the wrong path at an extremely critical point in history.

    http://www.amazon.com/Too-Much-Magic-Thinking-Technology/dp/080212030X

    1. Re:Sometimes people get lucky doing stupid things by ThatsMyNick · · Score: 1

      I am not sure what you are bitter about. Yeah things could have gone wrong. People from the ground center would have wondered if he passed out during the tumble (well it has happened to people before. He could have become unconscious, the parachute deploys automatically at the right altitude, and he might have required some help from ground crew, but thats about it). Two many things would have to go wrong for him to have died or get serious injured in this. And I am not where you got this hype about man against atmosphere (some sources would be nice).
       
      And I disagree with your notion about risk takers. First, risk takers are as necessary to the society as much as moderate people. Society places more value on them, because they are rare, and risk takers are necessary for the society.

    2. Re:Sometimes people get lucky doing stupid things by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The "shared benefit" thing should have told you that we're dealing with just another envious underachiever who hates successful people and thinks government should step in to "guarantee equality" since he can't do it on his own.

  85. Some Official Stats (Imperial) by hutsell · · Score: 2

    Exit Height: 128,100 Feet
    Free Fall Time: 4 Minutes 20 Seconds
    Free Fall Distance: 119,846 Feet
    Free Fall Speed: 833.9 Miles Per Hour or Mach 1.24

    --
    Yesterday's Weirdness is Tomorrow's Reason Why
  86. Some numbers... by MobileC · · Score: 1, Informative

    39,045m Altitude
    36,500m freefall
    1342.8 km/h
    Mach 1.24

    Chuck Yeager did Mach 1.06 on the 14th October 1947.

    Andy Green did Mach 1.02 on the 15th October 1997.

    --

    Fran
    :):):)
    1st 1st Poster of the new Millennium!

  87. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by magic+maverick+ · · Score: 1

    According to Wikipedia, Red Bull is Austrian, but that one of the owners is Thai. And I probably didn't need to respond to the troll. But I did anyway. Life goes on.

    --
    HELP MY ACCOUNT HAS BEEN HACKED BY AN ILLIBERAL ART STUDENT SET TO DESTROY THE INTERWEBZ!
  88. Massive Balls Of Steel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe even balls of diamond.

  89. Just a little bit more than absolutely necessary.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    How much Helium was used?

    Just a little bit more than absolutely necessary.

    What happened to the ballon?

    It go bye bye. Someone will find a big plastic bag at some point in the future.

    What happened to the capsule?

    It parachuted back to the ground and was recovered not too far from his landing point.

  90. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Posts like yours are good to show everyone why Americans need to stay in school and become educated. First, they would learn basic grammar. Second, they would learn to read, which would allow them to learn that the jumper in the story is Austrian, not American.

  91. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by JustOK · · Score: 4, Funny

    "roughly" modified HOW it would place him, not the where.

    --Live long and avoid inefficiency.

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  92. What's with armor? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What a wuss. Call me when does it with just a normal jumpsuit.

    1. Re:What's with armor? by Dark$ide · · Score: 1

      What a wuss. Call me when does it with just a normal jumpsuit.

      Because above the Armstrong Line (63,000ft) your bodily fluids (sweat, saliva, tears and blood) boil. That makes you die very quickly. You have to use a pressure suit.

      --

      Sigs. We don't need no steenking sigs.

    2. Re:What's with armor? by uvajed_ekil · · Score: 1

      Because above the Armstrong Line (63,000ft) your bodily fluids (sweat, saliva, tears and blood) boil.

      Of course that limit is in debate now, what with all the credible doping accusations and all.

      --
      This is a hacked account, for which the owner can not be held responsible.
  93. Does anyone... by Lord+Duran · · Score: 1

    Does anyone have a good, thorough explanation of the physics? How he deals with terminal velocity and stuff?

  94. My Water Balloons Never Detonate... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pinky! Back to the lab!

  95. Re:Why is this even news? by Seumas · · Score: 2

    My only problem with this whole thing is that it seems to be getting more attention, coverage, and certainly live-internet views than landing an SUV on fucking Mars did. And people are covering it like it's "the next SpaceX accomplishment" or something. It's impressive. It's cool. However, it's just a dude in a pressurized suit flopping out of a platform strung to a balloon. This may push the limits of a man, but I don't know what it exactly pushes technologically or explorationally[*].

    [*] I don't think that's a word, but whatever.

  96. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by circletimessquare · · Score: 1

    red bull started by an austrian taking an interest in a thai drink on a vacation. so it all makes sense in the end

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  97. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by circletimessquare · · Score: 2

    So ah, I guess, fuck you.

    No, properly it's "Hasta la vista, baby."

    To speak in in the vernacular of the only Austrian whom Americans can think of.

    We can also think of the Julie Andrews (by way of the Sound of Music) and Mozart. After that the next name on the list would be Crocodile Dundee, and then the discussion turns to an Internet meme started by a president who asked, "is our childrens learning?"

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  98. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by AchilleTalon · · Score: 1

    So, that was a nice jump. Let us hope Baumgartner won't die slipping on a banana peel as it happened once to the first guy to jump the Niagara Falls in a barrel who died slipping on an orange peel.

    --
    Achille Talon
    Hop!
  99. Scientific data gathered during the jump by AchilleTalon · · Score: 1

    Anybody knows if Redbull plans to release in the public the scientific data gathered during the jump? It would be interesting to have the crowd being able to dig the data.

    --
    Achille Talon
    Hop!
  100. Educated by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And if you were educated, you'd be more inclined to spot the troll you're replying to.

  101. Re:LOL. Single success; double FAIL. by EmagGeek · · Score: 1

    The heater in his visor failed and he couldn't see anything. They'd had problems with it on the way up but stupidly decided to jump anyway.

    When it fogged up he couldn't see, and must have decided to pull the chute because he couldn't get that crazy old fart on the ground to tell him how much time he had left.

    That idiot ground controller blew the whole jump by being completely inept, inattentive, and generally idiotic.

    Even after he pulled the chute, he could not even get a competent wind report from ground - the first reports were just wrong, and you could hear someone SCREAMING at him to correct it in the background.

    Oh, and the ground controller also advised Baumgartner to skip a step in the checklist, thinking it must have already been done, and you could hear someone SCREAMING at him in the background for that, too, after which they executed the step in the checklist.

    I am quite frankly amazed that he survived his jump, honestly, with the incompetence of that idiotic controller.

  102. Idiotic Ground Controller by EmagGeek · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Am I the only one who thought that idiotic ground controller was going to get him killed?

    Between advising him to skip a vital step in the checklist, and being incapable of responding to his repeated requests for an accurate weather report on the way down, it's amazing he made it down unscathed.

    You could even hear people screaming at him to get his shit together in the background when he told the jumper to skip the step in the checklist, and when he repeatedly gave him incorrect weather information.

    Pathetic.

    1. Re:Idiotic Ground Controller by Megane · · Score: 1

      The step to skip was putting the visor down. His visor was clearly already down in the video.

      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    2. Re:Idiotic Ground Controller by EmagGeek · · Score: 2

      The step was to close the visor and increase the visor heat to full (and a third step that was not intelligible in the audio), which the controller said had already been done.

      In any case, you don't tell someone to skip steps in a procedure, period. It is also not a good idea to do more than one thing in one step, yet many of the steps in their checklist had numerous tasks - I counted FOUR tasks in one of the checklist steps.

    3. Re:Idiotic Ground Controller by Phydaux · · Score: 1

      Am I the only one who thought that idiotic ground controller was going to get him killed?

      Joe Kittinger was the only one Felix would talk to.

  103. Just in via BBC - 833.9MPH! by Penurious+Penguin · · Score: 2

    "Austrian Felix Baumgartner has become the first skydiver to go faster than the speed of sound, reaching a maximum velocity of 833.9mph (1,342km/h)."

    It sure was something seeing the guy in space one minute, then less than 10 minutes later, seeing him gracefully land on his feet.

    --
    Forward! -- Emperor Norton, 2012
    1. Re:Just in via BBC - 833.9MPH! by uvajed_ekil · · Score: 1

      "Austrian Felix Baumgartner has become the first skydiver to go faster than the speed of sound, reaching a maximum velocity of 833.9mph (1,342km/h)."

      Interesting, considering the unofficial, live broadcast telemetry had him topping out at something like 729mph. Not that I necessarily believe 729 must have been accurate, but there is a pretty big difference between that and this BBC number.

      --
      This is a hacked account, for which the owner can not be held responsible.
    2. Re:Just in via BBC - 833.9MPH! by Penurious+Penguin · · Score: 1

      Another slashdot comment mentioned that USA-today apparently reported the same number (833), but another user said it was a typo. Either way, 729 is good enough for me, and I always take the BBC with a single ear. This newer post will probably have some updates: http://science.slashdot.org/story/12/10/14/216230/the-tech-behind-felix-baumgartners-stratospheric-skydive

      --
      Forward! -- Emperor Norton, 2012
  104. Re:LOL. Single success; double FAIL. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The "idiot" ground controller was none other than Joseph Kittinger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Kittinger) who was the previous
    altitude jump record holder back in 1960. Read up about him and his role before you spout off.
    His voice of high altitude jumping experience was one of several tactics used to calm the claustrophobia that had struck Felix when the limited mobility and vision of the required pressure suit threatened the scrub the whole deal.
    NASA uses astronauts for CAPCOM for the same trust/experience/situational awareness role.
    That being said, a bit more operational training for the team as a whole couldn't have hurt.

  105. Re:LOL. Single success; double FAIL. by EmagGeek · · Score: 0

    I don't care if he was Neil Armstrong. Being an Astronaut or an accomplished skydiver does not necessarily make you a good ground controller. His performance was reckless, inattentive, and unprofessional.

  106. Re:No helmet heat?? by Kozz · · Score: 1

    Hey, C.B.! Proving that Wisconsinites know how to party, eh? Would be nice to have a beer out on the ice with you. :)

    --KK

    --
    I only post comments when someone on the internet is wrong.
  107. Re:LOL. Single success; double FAIL. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't care if he was Neil Armstrong. Being an Astronaut or an accomplished skydiver does not necessarily make you a good ground controller. His performance was reckless, inattentive, and unprofessional.

    Interesting post. Just one question:

    Could you clue us in on why anyone here should give a flying fuck about your opinion?

    I mean, you must have years of experience with managing and undertaking high-altitude operations, yes? Maybe you could point us to your CV, so we can admire all the successful missions you've undertaken to the edge of space.

    I love how $RANDOM_INTERNET_DOUCHE thinks that he knows better than all the combined experience, hard work, and talent that went into this mission. Even if you're right, it's the "stopped-clock" variety of correctness, like a student who randomly puts down "42" on a math test and happens to get it right.

    Sometimes the better part of valor is learning when to shut the fuck up when speaking about one's betters. Of course, it's easy over the Internet, where every basement-dweller believes his opinion is important, and knows he won't be called to account for even the most ignorant statement. In the real world, if you talked that way about Kittinger to his peers in the armed services -- let alone calling him an "idiot" and the other things you've said in this thread...

    ...well, let's just say I doubt you'd have the balls to do it. And if you did, you'd be lucky to walk away with them still intact.

  108. Re:LAME by DMUTPeregrine · · Score: 1

    The sound barrier increases with decreasing pressure. Higher altitudes have a higher speed of sound, so he may not have broken it.

    --
    Not a sentence!
  109. Re:LAME by DMUTPeregrine · · Score: 1

    Or I'm an idiot and swapped the direction of increase.

    --
    Not a sentence!
  110. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not grammatically, it didn't.

  111. Re:Yay. Slashdot is up to date and current finally by Emb3rz · · Score: 1

    Things like this are good to show your kids to demonstrate what a Real American can do with guts and determination and also to show them the indomitability of the American spirit and how we don't need to take any God damn shit from the Chinks, Japs, Eurotrash etc.

    If he had have died it would have additionally shown your kids that jumping off high things is very dangerous.

    So really it's win/win.

    Except he is Austrian.....

    *Cringe*

    Also, random racial trolling por qué?

  112. it even made radio in the shire by KingBenny · · Score: 1

    if its not about space elevators, its not gettting me into space so i can hardly be enthusiastic about it

    --
    Free speech was meant to be free for all... how can anyone grow up in a nanny state ?
  113. Re:No helmet heat?? by codepunk · · Score: 1

    Damn outed :) I guess I have had this nickname too long!

    --


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