Red Bull Stratos

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by T@T

Color me surprised there would be gusty winds somewhere in the 0-120k range

I think the concern is the winds on the ground and 200 meters up (the full height of the balloon once inflated). You can imagine it is going to be difficult to have calm enough winds through that entire range to allow them to launch.

I believe they were hoping for a Thursday launch now, as the weather today and Friday and Saturday did not look good.

[polak]

Jump is pushed to the 14th

[doctajones428]

Originally Posted by polak

He's a base jumper. He's done some publicity stunts but obviously nothing of this magnitude.

He's done test jumps from 13 and 18 miles up. His goal is 23 miles

[Slava]

This is supposed to be a go in 2:10, or about 8:45am this morning.

[Kavvy]

The link on the OP doesn't work for me, so.... here is the Sportsnet feed


http://www.sportsnet.ca/redbullstratos/

Currently stating "next update at 9:15, broadcast to start at 9:45"

You have to sit through a quick commercial prior to the feed loading.

[Canada 02]

http://www.youtube.com/redbull

or

http://www.redbullstratos.com/live/

[Kavvy]

Some more quick information, it will take 3 hours for him to ascent... 10 min to fall...

The proposed timeline for the mission is split into eight stages.[24] Phases 1 and 2 cover the balloon's ascent, phases 3–7 cover the descent and landing, and phase 8 covers the return of the balloon and capsule:

1. Launch of balloon with Baumgartner in capsule suspended below canopy
2. Balloon reaches "edge of space"[24]—36,000 metres (118,000 ft)—after a 3-hour ascent
3. Baumgartner de-pressurises the capsule, opens the door and jumps
4. At approximately 30,000 metres (98,000 ft), Baumgartner reaches the speed of sound
5. After approximately 5:30 of freefall, air resistance slows Baumgartner as the atmosphere becomes denser
6. Baumgartner deploys his parachute at approximately 1,500 metres (4,900 ft)
7. Approximately 10:00 of controlled parachute descent until landing
8. Mission control remotely detach the balloon from the capsule; both descend to Earth to be recovered

[Canada 02]

launch might have been pushed up because winds have died down significantly

broadcast now starts at 9:25

[Ducay]

And its off!

[Slava]

Just about 2hours of rising to go...hard to maintain interest in that part!

[Table 5]

damn, 2 hours? I was hoping this part would take 20-30 minutes, ha. Shows how much I know...

[Rudee]

This is as exciting as watching paint dry. I don't see why this is hyped like it is. A similar jump was done 50 years ago using a fraction of the technology available today. Whoop-de-do!

[Table 5]

While we wait, watching this thing rise reminds me of this:

[RW99]

Originally Posted by Rudee

This is as exciting as watching paint dry. I don't see why this is hyped like it is. A similar jump was done 50 years ago using a fraction of the technology available today. Whoop-de-do!

You love trying to kill threads?

[aaronzaski]

Originally Posted by Rudee

This is as exciting as watching paint dry. I don't see why this is hyped like it is. A similar jump was done 50 years ago using a fraction of the technology available today. Whoop-de-do!

Don't worry, they will have the whole jump condensed into 2 minutes for you ADD types.

[photon]

Problem with the face plate heating they're saying.. Not sure what options they would have, I assume he's jumping to come down one way or another.

[Regulator75]

Did they say what altitude he's jumping at?

[Table 5]

I like how that old guy that they keep showing in mission control did something very similar 50 years ago....probably with a bucket and a sleeping bag. Doing it today is dangerous enough....talk about having balls.

[photon]

They figured it'd level out at 120,000 feet or so and they'd jump from there, but its still going up.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

Did they say what altitude he's jumping at?

I read 120,000ft but he has already gone past that point so I'm unsure and can't find another answer.