Quote:
Originally Posted by badgeguy
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?
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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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Low C Sharp
How high do you have to go before you get burned up on re-entry?
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"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.