Felix Baumgartner and 120,000ft

SHISHKABOB

I believe that he broke Kittinger's record for 614 mph freefall speed, but spent less time free falling.

I think he got to like 729 mph? Though of course I guess they have to verify it however they do that.

Nubcake

I think he got a little higher than that about 800+ but he slowed down afterwards.

Borek

There was a great moment when he regained the control - there was a moment when he was spinning faster and faster, but apparently the air density got high enough and in a split second he had things under control and was flying head first.

Nobody commented on that in Polish TV where I watched the jump, apparently they had no idea what they were seeing.

bugatti79

Just wondering why they didn't fit a camera into his helmet....and on a lighter note what tune would you play as your freefalling....'eye of the tiger'...?

Greg Bernhardt

Anyone have a video link?

rootX

Borek

The spinning moment is not present in this video.

SHISHKABOB

it's real blurry and hard to tell but at like 2:41 you can see that he's spinning

when it cuts to the mission control people moments later you can see one of the dudes making a spinny motion with his hands

but yeah I was watching the live steam and for a while you could really see him spinning fast. There's probably better videos out there.

rootX

I noticed spinning but it was for very short time. He lost control for like one second from what appears to be in the video

Borek

As far as I remember the moment with spinning and regaining control was just when the view got back from the mission control to falling FB. That's cut out.

Astronuc

Felix Baumgartner "stepped off into the void and plunged downward, reaching a maximum speed measured at 833.9 miles per hour, or Mach 1.24."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/15/us...skydiving.html

rootX

Their conversion looks wrong?
http://www.unitarium.com/speed
Maybe Mach 1.096?

SHISHKABOB

I think that they adjusted the speed of sound for his altitude

AlephZero

http://www.digitaldutch.com/atmoscalc/calculator.htm

Note: 1 ft/sec = 15/22 = 0.68181818... mph

Ryan_m_b

From the BBC stream it seemed he was spinning violently for a while

S_Happens

Yeah, I watched it live, and that embedded vid had a large chunk edited out. That slight spinning shown wasn't anything like it ended up. It was quite violent, and I was surprised the automatic drogue or chute specifically for that situation wasn't deployed.

He spun much faster and for quite a while before they cut to that mission control shot, then recovered and maintained head down freefall for a few minutes before deploying the chute.

lisab

I didn't watch it live, but it was spectacular nonetheless. Seeing him on his knees with his fists in the air was a huge relief!