# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/161 "2012-10-15T00:26:20Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Brass provides little cushioning. But when balls like that hit the Earth, the Earth apologizes. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/162 "2012-10-15T01:06:33Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > We he landed, he laded on his balls. They’re so big that they acted as an airbag. We he indeed! Whee! Balls-laded! ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/163 "2012-10-15T01:11:36Z")
> [@gardentraveler](#): > > I’m still in awe. I thought the most amazing view was from right before he jumped. They showed a glimpse of his view and it was…there are no words. Agreed. I can’t get that image out of my head. I just cannot imagine the feeling. Like looking down from a high dive…times about a thousand! ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/164 "2012-10-15T02:17:42Z")
The next thing will have to be the Starship Trooper Marauder capsule/suit thing: The guy inserts from orbit, ensconced in a multilayered egg. Layers of the egg burn and/or are blown off, until all that is left is the guy and his chute rig. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/165 "2012-10-15T02:55:32Z")
Are there any replays of the jump, especially from his point of view? The only video I can find on the Redbull site seems to be a compilation. I wonder - how many people would be willing to make that jump? I saw a story about someone who floated up using only balloons and a harness - I bet they would volunteer. ---
**Author:** ![Clarisse\_McClellan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Clarisse\_McClellan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clarisse_McClellan)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/166 "2012-10-15T03:11:55Z")
Replay is [here](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/9607604/Skydiver-Felix-Baumgartner-attempts-to-break-sound-barrier-live.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/167 "2012-10-15T06:48:24Z")
Some interesting tidbits from that Telegraph page: > [@](#): > > He said he considered aborting the mission twice. Once while in the capsule when his visor became to fog up because of the coldness of his breath. He explained: “At a certain time it looked like this was going to be mission abort. On our checklist of things we had this as a mission abort; if you cannot see anything you cannot leave the capsule.” The second time was at the beginning of the fall when he went into an uncontrollable spin. Baumgartner had a button which would activate a parachute which would arrest his spin but would mean that he could break no speed records. Quote from Felix: > [@](#): > > That spin became so violent it was hard to know how to get out of it. I was able to get it under control and break the speed of sound. > [@](#): > > Brian Utley, of FAI certification, is going through some of the numbers, which are even more impressive than we originally thought. > > Lets break them down: > > Exit altitude: 128,100ft > > Freefall time 4 minutes 20 seconds > > Freefall distance 119,846ft > > Velocity 373metres per second or 833.9mph - which is Mach 1.24 > > That’s even faster than we thought. He didn’t just break speed of sound. He smashed it. Even Felix looked surprised by the speed he was travelling at when the numbers were announced. I was wondering about this because it wasn’t clear from the live feed but he obliterated the sound barrier. Quote from Felix: > [@](#): > > I know the whole world is watching right now and I wish the world could see what I can see. Sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you really are. I can’t wait for that BBC documentary ! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/168 "2012-10-15T07:11:47Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Are there any replays of the jump, especially from his point of view? It may not have been from his point of view, but I did see (on the night’s sports report), the remote camera on the capsule show him get out of the capsule, settle himself on the step, then gently roll forward off the step into his fall. You should be able to find this on YouTube. Migosh, that took nerve. He was so high, that one of the cameras showed the curvature of the earth. I’m glad to hear that he survived–well done, Felix Baumgartner! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/169 "2012-10-15T14:18:30Z")
[CNN.com](http://CNN.com)’s coverage of the feat, including a brief interview with Baumgartner (I think Mark Wahlberg will have to play him in the movie): [http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/14/us/skydiver-record-attempt/index.html?hpt=hp\_c1](http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/14/us/skydiver-record-attempt/index.html?hpt=hp_c1) ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/170 "2012-10-15T14:38:33Z")
There’s a Lego for that: [- YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIeE7by_r0s) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/171 "2012-10-15T15:35:58Z")
I love the human race. I envision someday in the far-flung future, when man finally devises a way to visit other planets, our astronauts discovering a civilization with intelligent life. Imagine the surprise our emissaries will feel, when the alien inhabitants go to great lengths to hurl themselves into active volcanoes, just to see if they can survive it. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/172 "2012-10-15T16:02:19Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Are there any replays of the jump, especially from his point of view? Not the whole jump, but some pretty spectacular POV footage [here](http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=fa1_1350274678). ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/173 "2012-10-15T16:31:04Z")
[Slate embedded a video in an article as well.](http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2012/10/14/video_felix_baumgartner_jump_daredevil_attempts_stratosphere_skydive_to.html?google_editors_picks=true) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/174 "2012-10-16T03:26:42Z")
Andrea Mitchell reports a bit of truly remarkable news: [“FEARLESS FELIX” TRAVELED FASTER THAN SPEED OF LIGHT](http://i.imgur.com/59rw6.jpg) :dubious: :smack: :eek: :smack: 😛 :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/175 "2012-10-16T06:43:24Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Andrea Mitchell reports a bit of truly remarkable news: > > [“FEARLESS FELIX” TRAVELED FASTER THAN SPEED OF LIGHT](http://i.imgur.com/59rw6.jpg) > > :dubious: :smack: :eek: :smack: 😛 :smack: Yeah, I’m hearing a lot of joking about that on other forums. “All that research and speculation on how to break lightspeed, and it turns out all we had to do is drop an Austrian off a balloon.” [It’s not a unique mistake](http://content.bored.com/photos/cnn_columbia.jpg) though. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/176 "2012-10-16T07:10:07Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Yeah, I’m hearing a lot of joking about that on other forums. “All that research and speculation on how to break lightspeed, and it turns out all we had to do is drop an Austrian off a balloon.” > > [It’s not a unique mistake](http://content.bored.com/photos/cnn_columbia.jpg) though. 18 times the speed of light? That’s somewhere nearer Warp Three than Warp Two, isn’t it? ---
**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 16, 2012, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/177 "2012-10-16T07:23:48Z")
Journalism and scientific literacy go together like…like…hmm…ah, I ain’t got nothing. ☹ ---
**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 16, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/178 "2012-10-16T13:37:46Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Andrea Mitchell reports a bit of truly remarkable news: > > [“FEARLESS FELIX” TRAVELED FASTER THAN SPEED OF LIGHT](http://i.imgur.com/59rw6.jpg) > > :dubious: :smack: :eek: :smack: 😛 :smack: That explains why he didn’t age during the drop. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/179 "2022-10-14T14:16:12Z")
Bumped. A followup: > **[Felix Baumgartner: 10 years on, the man who fell to Earth is still awed by...](https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/14/sport/felix-baumgartner-red-bull-sky-dive-spt-intl/index.html)** > > After six years of preparation, struggle and sacrifice, Felix Baumgartner found himself quite literally on the edge of the world. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872/180 "2022-10-14T16:04:08Z")
I didn’t know someone had broken his record ! > **[Alan Eustace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Eustace)** > > Robert Alan Eustace (born 1956/1957) is an American computer scientist who served as Senior Vice President of Engineering at Google until retiring in 2015. On October 24, 2014, he made a free-fall jump from the stratosphere, breaking Felix Baumgartner's world record. The jump was from 135,890 feet (41.42 km) and lasted 15 minutes, an altitude record that stands as of 2022\[update\]. > The son of a Martin Marietta engineer, Eustace grew up in Pine Hills, Florida, then a working-class suburb of Or... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parachuting-from-23-miles-up/636872.md?page=10)