World record "skydive" - Page 2

Kevy Baby · 10-14-2012, 12:12 PM

It as shown live on a couple of channels here - lucky to have caught it a few minutes before he "jumped"

Ghoulish Delight · 10-14-2012, 12:13 PM

Ironically, by breaking the record for fastest free fall, he failed to break the record for longset duration of freefall, despite starting 15K feet higher than the previous record.

Kevy Baby · 10-14-2012, 12:21 PM

Yeah, I thought that was odd

Ghoulish Delight · 10-14-2012, 12:34 PM

Among other things, the record holder (Joseph Kittinger, 1960), blacked out before his freefall was over. No one ever figured out for sure what happened, but the assumption is that one of the helmet tiedown cords wrapped around his neck. Because he blacked out, his chute deployed automatically at 20,000 feet. Since Baumgartner maintained consciousness, he probably pulled his chute manually when he wanted to, rather than waiting unconscious until the last safe moment.

Alex · 10-14-2012, 03:31 PM

As I posted to Facebook:

Quote:

Thanks to modern technology today I watched a grey dot zoom around a screen while a cameraman tried to keep it centered.

I was told that this dot was a man falling at many hundreds of miles an hour. But I'm wary since once upon a time I was told different dots on a different screen were lasers I was shooting at asteroids.

Fool me once...

Moonliner · 10-15-2012, 01:33 PM

I assume the capsule was recovered and not just left to drift away?

Alex · 10-15-2012, 03:17 PM

Correct. About the time he was landing you could hear mission control talking through the release of the capsule and beginning of its recovery.

Kevy Baby · 10-15-2012, 04:05 PM

Something somewhere isn't right. From what I can find (with admittedly limited research):

Drop height:
Baumgartner:128,100 ft.
Kittinger: 102,600 ft.

Chute Open:
Baumgartner:8,254 ft.
Kittinger: 18-20,000 ft.

Freefall distance:
Baumgartner:119,846 ft.
Kittinger: 84-86,600 ft.

So if Baumgartner had a longer distance free fall, how did Kittinger free fall for a longer time?

Strangler Lewis · 10-15-2012, 04:25 PM

Having padded his suit with cotton balls just in case things didn't go well, Kittinger was fluffier and therefore less dense. Also, he had webbed fingers.

Capt Jack · 10-15-2012, 04:30 PM

possibly Baumgartner maintained a much higher average speed during that period than Kittinger. considering he was already freighting pretty well by the time he started to decellerate from atmospheric resistance (probably about the same alt that Kittinger began his freefall) , Kitt's overall avg speed undoubtedly started lower and never rose above X.

also from what Id read, Kitt blacked out during his decent, so was no doubt not exactly holding a good aerodynamic shape...probably more like a tumbling leaf, vs B finally getting control and maintaining a static shape

10-14-2012, 12:12 PM	#11
Kevy Baby Chowder Head Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yes Posts: 18,500	It as shown live on a couple of channels here - lucky to have caught it a few minutes before he "jumped" __________________ The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot verify their validity. - Abraham Lincoln
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10-14-2012, 12:13 PM	#12
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Ironically, by breaking the record for fastest free fall, he failed to break the record for longset duration of freefall, despite starting 15K feet higher than the previous record. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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10-14-2012, 12:21 PM	#13
Kevy Baby Chowder Head Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yes Posts: 18,500	Yeah, I thought that was odd __________________ The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot verify their validity. - Abraham Lincoln
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10-14-2012, 12:34 PM	#14
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Among other things, the record holder (Joseph Kittinger, 1960), blacked out before his freefall was over. No one ever figured out for sure what happened, but the assumption is that one of the helmet tiedown cords wrapped around his neck. Because he blacked out, his chute deployed automatically at 20,000 feet. Since Baumgartner maintained consciousness, he probably pulled his chute manually when he wanted to, rather than waiting unconscious until the last safe moment. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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10-15-2012, 01:33 PM	#16
Moonliner 8/30/14 - Disneyland -10k or Bust. Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 9,022	I assume the capsule was recovered and not just left to drift away? __________________ - Taking it one step at a time.
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10-15-2012, 03:17 PM	#17
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Correct. About the time he was landing you could hear mission control talking through the release of the capsule and beginning of its recovery.
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10-15-2012, 04:05 PM	#18
Kevy Baby Chowder Head Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yes Posts: 18,500	Something somewhere isn't right. From what I can find (with admittedly limited research): Drop height: Baumgartner:128,100 ft. Kittinger: 102,600 ft. Chute Open: Baumgartner:8,254 ft. Kittinger: 18-20,000 ft. Freefall distance: Baumgartner:119,846 ft. Kittinger: 84-86,600 ft. So if Baumgartner had a longer distance free fall, how did Kittinger free fall for a longer time? __________________ The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot verify their validity. - Abraham Lincoln
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10-15-2012, 04:25 PM	#19
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	Having padded his suit with cotton balls just in case things didn't go well, Kittinger was fluffier and therefore less dense. Also, he had webbed fingers. __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
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10-15-2012, 04:30 PM	#20
Capt Jack check your head Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,174	possibly Baumgartner maintained a much higher average speed during that period than Kittinger. considering he was already freighting pretty well by the time he started to decellerate from atmospheric resistance (probably about the same alt that Kittinger began his freefall) , Kitt's overall avg speed undoubtedly started lower and never rose above X. also from what Id read, Kitt blacked out during his decent, so was no doubt not exactly holding a good aerodynamic shape...probably more like a tumbling leaf, vs B finally getting control and maintaining a static shape __________________ a clear conscience is a sure sign of a fuzzy memory
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