(LIVE) Jumping from the Edge of Space (120K FT)
 

Today, at about 8:30 am EST, Felix Baumgartner will ride in a capsule, lifted by a helium balloon that is taller than the Statue of Liberty, to about 120,000ft (22.73 miles.) Then he's going to jump out, from the edge of space, and attempt to break the sound barrier in freefall.

his balloon will rise between 1,000 to 1,400 meters/min, slowing to around 750 feet/min around 100,000 feet above sea level. (sounds like a deflating birthday balloon darting around a room.)

opening chutes at those speeds seems like when we were kids trying to slow our fall with an umbrella or bed sheet (from a tree or roof.)

i hope he does it. sonic boom

live broadcast and countdown on the Red Bull youtube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/redbull/stratos


Joe Kittinger holds the current record jump at 102,108 ft. There are plenty of videos on youtube of that. here's one without music and a voiceover interview: http://youtu.be/xE71aKXjss0

Next possible launch is 11:30, mountain time.

Live right now on Discovery Channel and on Red Bull's youtube channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/redbull/stratos

Thanks for the link. Watching this is scaring me.

Is this a repeat? I'm confused, I thought it happened already

postponed a couple times this past week due to high winds.
currently 69,000 ft and rising

I'm watching live via: http://www.redbullstratos.com/live/

This is epic! Currently at 82,000 Feet!

Hatch is open!

Wow, incredible!

He did it, but he's nuts... lol!

Holy Cow!!!

Very cool to see. Questions I have though, how high COULD he have gone? Was there a limit to when the balloon and capsule would have stopped?
And, what happens to the capsule now that he's out? Will it free fall back to earth?

I tried to look an the web to find answers but nothing yet....

redbullstratos.com
Float altitude is the point at which the balloon levels off and stops ascending. Although helium is lighter than air, at higher altitudes air density is reduced. Float altitude is reached when the average density of the balloon is the same as the density of the surrounding atmosphere.
Felix reached a float altitude of 128,097 ft (previous record: 113,740 feet)

After Felix jumped, the capsule landed under parachute using crush pads to soften the impact up to 8 Gs.

"in space" vs "in orbit"
Coming from orbit, you have to dissipate both your kinetic and potential energy, and your kinetic energy is greater by a factor of 100. Coming from a balloon, you only have to dissipate potential energy because you’re not moving at orbital speeds.