On the step of his capsule during the preparation. Inside the capsule and attached to Felix's pressurized suit are multiple mirrors to help him see throughout the capsule during his 43 step check list to exit. courtesy Red Bull Stratos, SOURCE
Sitting in his capsule while doing last tests on site. One of the most crucial aspects to the Red Bull Stratos Project is the capsule recovery. courtesy Red Bull Stratos, SOURCE
About another ballooner: "Felix Baumgartner is very courageous. His accomplishment will always remain a useful study for space related activities and for aeronautic medicine," Dumitru said. courtesy Red Bull Stratos, SOURCE
About the space jump: "had the same thought." courtesy Red Bull Stratos, SOURCE
Felix Baumgartner runs through all the necessary steps for rehearsal courtesy Red Bull Stratos, SOURCE
Mission update: Cold front halts jump from the edge of space - stand by live
Posted: Oct 08, 2012 10:35 am EDT (Newsdesk) “I'm deleting any negative thoughts and focusing on what I have to do right now. I just want to perform well, and I will think of the accomplishment later,” says Felix Baumgartner who rehearsed his jump from an altitude of 120,000 ft / 36,576 m during the final preparations over the weekend.
He added, “It creates a lot of pressure if you think of all the things that come afterwards. I just think of what I have to do right now step by step. When I realize what happens is when my parachute opens,"
Weather and live broadcast
A cold front pushes the launch to Tuesday Oct 9th (instead of 8th), pending optimal weather conditions, reports the Red Bull Stratos team from Roswell, New Mexico. A series of cold fronts moving down the east slopes of the Colorado Rockies, postponed the mission. Low clouds, moisture and increasing wind were associated.
The countdown has begun for Felix Baumgartner's epic jump from the edge of space. Supported by a team of experts, Felix will ascend in a helium balloon to an altitude of 120,000 ft / 36,576 m where he will take a leap of faith into the unknown in an attempt to become the first person to break the speed of sound during freefall.
On July 25th, 2012 Baumgartner jumped from an altitude of 96,640ft / 29,455m at 536mph / 863kph; after 3 minutes and 48 seconds in freefall leading up to a 10 minute and 36 descent.
Data from the International Air Sports Federation (FAI) shows how the 1st manned test in March measured up:
Altitude reached: 71,615.2 ft / 21,828.3 meters Parachute opened at: 8,210.6 ft / 2,502.6 meters Freefall time: 3 minutes and 40 seconds The fastest ascent rate of the capsule: 1,200 feet per minute (estimate) Speed reached in freefall: 364.69 mph / 586.92 km per hour.
Born in Salzburg, Austria in 1969, Felix Baumgartner began skydiving at the age of 16 and polished his skills as part of the Austrian military's demonstration and competition team. In 1988, he began performing skydiving exhibitions for Red Bull.
By the 1990s, Felix extended his skills with BASE jumping. Felix has made world-record BASE jumps and has been nominated for a World Sports Award and two categories in the NEA Extreme Sports Awards. He is also a prominent advocate for the nonprofit Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation.
Felix's Record Breaking Jumps and Accomplishments include:
2012 - (March 15) First test jump with high altitude balloon and pressurized capsule: Freefall from 71,581 feet over Roswell, NM. Maximum speed: 364.4 mph. Felix is the third person to leap from that altitude and survive.
2007 - BASE jump from world's tallest building, Taipei 101 Tower, Taipei, Taiwan (1,669 feet)
2006 - Felix earned his motorized wings as a helicopter pilot at Twin Air Helicopter School, Van Nuys, USA.
2004 - BASE jump into Marmet Cave in Velebit National Parc, Croatia (623 feet deep)
2004 - World record BASE jump from the highest bridge in the world, Millau Bridge, France (1,125 feet)
2003 - Channel Crossing, Dover, England to Calais, France; first crossing of the English Channel with a carbon wing
2001 - Nominated for a World Sports Award in London, England (category: Extreme Sports)
1999 - World record BASE jump from the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1,479 feet)
1999 - World record lowest BASE jump from Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (95 feet)
1997 - World champion title for BASE jumping in West Virginia, United States. #Space #Air #Science #topstory
