Stratos (highest parachute jump attempt)

[a10t2]

Two hours after launch, currently at 112,000 ft... about to break the record for highest manned balloon flight. If all goes to plan he'll jump from 120,000 ft and break Kittinger's 1960 record.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrIxH6DToXQ

Update: They vented some He₂ to stop the ascent at ~128,000 ft. Going through the jump checklists now (1155 MST). I just realized Joe Kittinger is the CapCom.

[denny]

My palms are sweating just watching this....

[hopfenundmalz]

Got on youtube when he was into it 1:00 minute. Wow.

[denny]

When he stepped out of the capsule onto the platform I almost lost it.  That was one of the most exciting things I've ever seen,

[tschmidlin]

I watched the replay - amazing!  Shared it with my family too.

[euge]

Wasn't this done last Thursday?

[denny]

Wasn't this done last Thursday?

Nope.....too windy then.


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[lornemagill]

as a spectator...meh.  amazing it can and has been done, would be amazing to do, but anticlimactic when i watched it.  sorry all.

[thebigbaker]

It was crazy how fast he disappeared ones he stepped off that capsule platform.

[punatic]

I watched it in real time on Discovery.  Reminded me of watching Spaceship One live back in '04.

It was scary watching it live.  Felix was talking to the ground on his suit radio, but not so much.  I was thinking, "If this goes bad the whole world is gonna watch him buy it - live."   However it was a triumph!  Truely amazing!

I have just one question - where do you suppose they found a spacesuit big enough for his balls to fit into?   

[gmac]

Cute interpretation of the event

http://enpundit.com/red-bull-stratos-jump-reenacted-using-lego/

[Slowbrew]

Very cool to see this done.  More importantly than setting the record though is the research and development that went into the equipment.  It will drive the tech to make a space launch failure more survivable.  Until now no one really knew if something like this jump would work. 

Again, very cool.

Paul

[dbeechum]

Growing up in Orlando, Colonel Joe was a local hero. He was the sort of "forgotten" hero that damnit, we were going to keep touting.

So, while I'm sad to see Joe's record broken, I'm glad he was part of the whole attempt and was the voice of good ole boy calmness for Felix.

[punatic]

Growing up in Orlando, Colonel Joe was a local hero. He was the sort of "forgotten" hero that damnit, we were going to keep touting.

So, while I'm sad to see Joe's record broken, I'm glad he was part of the whole attempt and was the voice of good ole boy calmness for Felix.

I was really glad to see Colonel Joe being involved with the project too.  He was in charge of Rosie O'Grady's Flying Circus back in the heyday of Bob Snow's Church Street Station. Colonel Joe set quite a few hot air balloon world records during that time.  He also used to do a lot of sky writing in the Rosie O'Grady's biplane.  I sat with him at the bar and talked story over beers many times.  A very cool guy with some great stories.

[punatic]

Colonel Joe Kittinger has the right stuff.
In addition to being a great explorer, he was shot down over Viet Nam and spent 11 months as a POW.

Read about him here:
http://www.avweb.com/news/profiles/183671-1.html

Definitely a good guy to have on your team