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Computer Scientist Parachutes From 135,908 Feet, Breaking Record
An anonymous reader writes: The NY Times reports that Alan Eustace, a computer scientist and senior VP at Google, has successfully broken the record for highest freefall jump, set by Felix Baumgartner in 2012. "For a little over two hours, the balloon ascended at speeds up to 1,600 feet per minute to an altitude of 135,908 feet, more than 25 miles. Mr. Eustace dangled underneath in a specially designed spacesuit with an elaborate life-support system. He returned to earth just 15 minutes after starting his fall. ... Mr. Eustace cut himself loose from the balloon with the aid of a small explosive device and plummeted toward the earth at a speeds that peaked at more than 800 miles per hour, setting off a small sonic boom heard by observers on the ground. ... His technical team had designed a carbon-fiber attachment that kept him from becoming entangled in the main parachute before it opened. About four-and-a-half minutes into his flight, he opened the main parachute and glided to a landing 70 miles from the launch site."
Has Bennett Haselton certified this record-breaking feat? I will not believe these claims until he has written a lengthy blog post on how this feat relates to Burning Man ice queues and distributed social networks.
He planned to go up and try it again.
Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
So this skydiving student goes on his first solo jump. When the plane gets up to altitude and over the target, he jumps. Falling to the proper altitude, he pulls the release on the main chute. Nothing.
Fighting back panic, he remembers what they taught in class and pulls the release on the backup chute. Nothing happens again. Things are starting to look pretty grim as he watches the ground rapidly approach.
Then, he notices a man, rising toward him from the ground. Odd, he thinks to himself. But what the hell ..... When this person gets within earshot, the skydiver yells, "Hey buddy! Do you know how to work a parachute?"
"No", the other person replies. "Do you know how to light a Coleman stove?"
Have gnu, will travel.
You can tell it was a REAL computer scientist because there was no "test first", just pure perfect action.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Vladimir Putin announced on Russian Times that he will jump from the Mir space station at an altitude of 300,000 kilometers to celebrate the upcoming 70th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad.
What exactly are "the right reasons"?
I'm being serious. Is there some sort of "right" or "noble" reason to spend all this money jumping from slightly higher than the last guy who spent a lot of money?
Am I missing something here? Off the top of my head, the only reasons which come to mind are "extreme wealth" and "boredom".
it would have been cool if he would have jumped from 128,000 feet. ;)
That would only work if he was employed by Western Digital or Maxtor.
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