# Parachuting from 23 miles up. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 6, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872 "2012-10-06T02:35:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/101 "2012-10-14T17:19:03Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I can’t believe how high he is… the curvature of the earth is plainly visible. > > I’d be fighting hard to stay rational and not worry about “missing” the planet on the way down. That’s how you fly. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/102 "2012-10-14T17:19:58Z")
He’s just passed the previous highest jump point. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/103 "2012-10-14T17:21:10Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Yeah, those are some awesome shots from the outside of the capsule. I think I saw my house in that last shot! (I live near Albuquerque) ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/104 "2012-10-14T17:21:48Z")
What happens to the capsule? Does it detach from the balloon and deploy its own parachute? ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/105 "2012-10-14T17:21:59Z")
That’s a long ride up to the top. He should have paid for the in-flight movie. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/106 "2012-10-14T17:27:41Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > What happens to the capsule? Does it detach from the balloon and deploy its own parachute? Yeah, that’s what they said earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/107 "2012-10-14T17:33:58Z")
The first record of the day! Highest manned balloon flight. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/108 "2012-10-14T17:34:30Z")
Interesting that Chuck Yeager flew the first airplane to break the speed record on this day, and tomorrow is the anniversary of the first land vehicle to break the sound barrier. There must be a mathematical convergence somewhere that makes the middle of October most suitable for the task. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/109 "2012-10-14T17:35:16Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I can’t believe how high he is… the curvature of the earth is plainly visible. > > I’d be fighting hard to stay rational and not worry about “missing” the planet on the way down. They’re using a wide-angle lens- the curve is exaggerated. Still, it’s got to be pretty curvy by now! ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/110 "2012-10-14T17:45:15Z")
The balloon has almost stopped climbing and the checklist is about to start. There still seems to be some problem with the faceplate heat but apparently Baumgartner has decided to jump anyway. Hope it doesn’t cause any serious problems. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/111 "2012-10-14T17:47:02Z")
After dropping to almost zero, the balloon is now rising very quickly at more than 2000 feet per minute. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/112 "2012-10-14T17:48:24Z")
This is one of the best quality live feeds I’ve seen. I’m pretty sure that if I were doing an egress check from that height, the first thing that on the checklist would require a thorough hosing of the spacesuit after the landing. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/113 "2012-10-14T17:48:50Z")
Boy, that balloon is so taunt, it looks like it’s going to burst! ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/114 "2012-10-14T17:50:36Z")
He’s descending a little now. I am on the edge of my seat! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/115 "2012-10-14T17:56:26Z")
He’s depressurizing the capsule. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/116 "2012-10-14T17:57:08Z")
Why is the outside temperature rising? It’s gone up almost 10 degrees in the past few thousand feet. I was expecting it to be a lot colder up there. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/117 "2012-10-14T18:04:31Z")
The door is open! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/118 "2012-10-14T18:07:03Z")
He’s on his way! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/119 "2012-10-14T18:08:40Z")
He was tumbling badly for a bit there, looks like he’s stabilized. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/120 "2012-10-14T18:11:21Z")
He seems fine. Did he break the sound barrier? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872.md?page=7)