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freefall
Beyonce decided to jump a freefall off Sky Tower in New Zealand.
Beyonce, 32, headed to Auckland’s Sky Tower, New Zealand’s tallest man-made structure at 1,076-feet tall, to make the brave 629-foot leap from the observation deck.
Beyonce decided to jump a freefall off Sky Tower in New Zealand
The star donned a bright blue and yellow jumpsuit and was hooked up to a harness for the freefall, and she documented her exhilarating experience by sharing snaps on her Instagram account.
Beyonce performed in New Zealand as part of the Australasia leg of her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour.
Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner fell has been proved to be even faster during his historic skydive last October than was originally thought.
Subsequent analysis has revealed that Felix Baumgartner attained a speed of 1,357.6 km/h (843.6 mph) when he leapt from his stratospheric balloon.
It is about 15 km/h (10 mph) above what was initially reported.
Felix Baumgartner’s stated aim was to become the first person to break the sound barrier unaided by a vehicle. This he did. His final Mach number was 1.25.
But although his vertical velocity has been revised upwards, the 43-year-old’s jump altitude has been corrected downwards slightly.
The additional analysis shows Felix Baumgartner stepped out of his special capsule at 38,969.4m (127,852.4ft), a reduction from the previous estimate of 39,045 m (128,100 ft).
Felix Baumgartner’s “space jump” was made over the New Mexico desert, US, on October 14. Millions across the world followed his progress on internet video feeds as he climbed slowly into the sky in his 55-storey-high helium balloon, before making a rapid, 10-minute descent to Earth, with just under five of those minutes spent in freefall.
The biggest moment of drama came when he went into a spin as he hurtled towards the ground, turning at a maximum rate of 60 revolutions per minute.
He had to use all the skills picked up in more than 2,500 career skydives to recover a stable configuration and complete the dive safely.
Felix Baumgartner’s feats bettered the marks set 50 years previously by Joe Kittinger.
The now-retired US Air Force colonel leapt from a helium envelope in 1960. His altitude was 31,300 m (102,800 ft), but his top speed was just short of the sound barrier.
Joe Kittinger, now an octogenarian, was integral to Felix Baumgartner’s team, providing the Austrian with advice and encouragement throughout the project.
Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner fell has been proved to be even faster during his historic skydive last October than was originally thought
Although the jump had the appearance of a stunt, Felix Baumgartner and his group of experts continually stressed its high scientific relevance.
The researchers said it provided invaluable data for the development of high-performance, high-altitude parachute systems, and that the lessons learned would inform the development of new ideas for emergency evacuation from vehicles, such as spacecraft, passing through the stratosphere.
“Together, we proved that a human in freefall can break the speed of sound returning from near space, going through a transonic phase and landing safely on the ground,” said Dr. Jonathan Clark, a former space shuttle flight surgeon and the Red Bull Stratos medical director.
“That was a big part of the programme, and monitoring the mission was a meaningful event in aerospace medicine and physiology.”
The revised data will now be submitted to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the official world body that oversees these types of records:
Maximum Vertical Speed*: 1,357.6 km/h (843.6 mph/Mach 1.25)
Previous estimate: 1,342.8km/h (833.9 mph/Mach 1.24)
Highest Exit (Jump) Altitude: 38,969.4 m (127,852.4 ft)
Previous estimate: 39,045 m (128,100 ft)
Vertical Freefall Distance*: 36,402.6 m (119,431.1 ft)
Previous estimate: 36,529 m (119,846 ft)
*without drogue or stabilization device
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Felix Baumgartner has become the first skydiver to go faster than the speed of sound, reaching a maximum velocity of 833.9 mph (1,342 km/h).
In jumping out of a balloon 128,100 ft (24 miles; 39 km) above New Mexico, Felix Baumgartner, 43, also smashed the record for the highest ever freefall.
Felix Baumgartner said he almost aborted the dive because his helmet visor fogged up.
It took just under 10 minutes for him to descend. Only the last few thousand feet were negotiated by parachute.
Once down, he fell to his knees and raised his fists in triumph. Helicopter recovery teams were on hand moments later.
“Let me tell you – when I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble. You don’t think about breaking records anymore, you don’t think about gaining scientific data – the only thing that you want is to come back alive,” Felix Baumgartner said afterwards at a media conference.
None of the new marks set by Felix Baumgartner can be classed as “official” until endorsed by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI).
Its representative was the first to greet the skydiver on the ground. GPS data recorded on to a microcard in Felix Baumgartner’s chest pack will form the basis for the height and speed claims that are made.
These will be submitted formally through the Aerosport Club of Austria for certification.
Felix Baumgartner has become the first skydiver to go faster than the speed of sound
There was concern early in the dive that Felix Baumgartner was in trouble. He was supposed to get himself into a delta position – head down, arms swept back – as soon as possible after leaving his capsule. But the video showed him tumbling over and over.
Eventually, however, the Austrian was able to use his great experience, from more than 2,500 career dives, to correct his fall and get into a stable configuration.
Even before this drama, it was thought the mission might have to be called off. As he went through last-minute checks inside the capsule, it was found that a heater for his visor was not working. This meant the visor fogged up as he exhaled.
“This is very serious, Joe,” he told retired US Air Force Col. Joe Kittinger, whose records he was attempting to break, and who was acting as his radio link in mission control at Roswell airport.
The team took a calculated risk to proceed after understanding why the problem existed.
Felix Baumgartner’s efforts have finally toppled records that have stood for more than 50 years.
Joe Kittinger set his marks for the highest, farthest, and longest freefall when he leapt from a helium envelope in 1960. His altitude was 102,800 ft (31 km). (His record for the longest freefall remains intact – Joe Kittinger fell for more than four and a half minutes before deploying his chute; Felix Baumgartner was in freefall for four minutes and 20 seconds).
Joe Kittinger, now an octogenarian, has been an integral part of Felix Baumgartner’s team, and has provided the Austrian with advice and encouragement whenever the younger man has doubted his ability to complete such a daring venture.
“Felix did a great job and it was a great honor to work with this brave guy,” the elder man said.
The 43-year-old adventurer – best known for leaping off skyscrapers – first discussed seriously the possibility of beating Joe Kittinger’s records in 2005.
Since then, Felix Baumgartner has had to battle technical and budgetary challenges to make it happen.
What he was proposing was extremely dangerous, even for a man used to those skyscraper stunts.
At Sunday’s jump altitude, the air pressure is less than 2% of what it is at sea level, and it is impossible to breathe without an oxygen supply.
Others who have tried to break the records have lost their lives in the process.
Felix Baumgartner’s team built him a special pressurized capsule to protect him on the way up, and for his descent he wore a next generation, full pressure suit made by the same company that prepares the flight suits of astronauts.
Although the jump had the appearance of another Felix Baumgartner stunt, his team stressed its high scientific relevance.
The researchers on the Red Bull Stratos project say it has already provided invaluable data for the development of high-performance, high-altitude parachute systems, and that the lessons learned will inform the development of new ideas for emergency evacuation from vehicles, such as spacecraft, passing through the stratosphere.
NASA and its spacecraft manufacturers have asked to be kept informed.
“Part of this programme was to show high-altitude egress, passing through Mach and a successful re-entry back [to subsonic speed], because our belief scientifically is that’s going to benefit future private space programmes or high-altitude pilots; and Felix proved that today,” said Art Thompson, the team principal.
A BBC/National Geographic documentary is being made about the project and will probably be aired in November.
Felix Baumgartner’s jump in numbers:
• Exit altitude: 128,100 ft; 39,045 m
• Total jump duration: 9’03”
• Freefall time: 4’20”
• Freefall distance 119,846 ft; 36,529 m
• Max velocity: 833.9 mph; 1,342.8 km/h; Mach 1.24
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Felix Baumgartner has broken the record for the highest ever skydive by jumping out of a balloon 128,000 ft (39 km) above New Mexico.
Felix Baumgartner, 43, was hoping also to break the sound barrier during his descent – although that mark awaits confirmation.
Video cameras relayed the moment Felix Baumgartner stepped from his balloon capsule to begin his fall to Earth.
It took 10 minutes for him to reach the desert surface below.
Only the last few thousand feet were negotiated by parachute.
Helicopter recovery teams have gone to Felix Baumgartner’s landing site to return him to the mission control centre set up at Roswell airport.
Video cameras relayed the moment Felix Baumgartner stepped from his balloon capsule to begin his fall to Earth
Felix Baumgartner’s efforts have finally toppled records that have stood for more than 50 years.
The previous highest, farthest, and longest freefall was made by retired US Air Force Col. Joe Kittinger, who leapt from a helium envelope in 1960. His altitude was 102,800 ft (31.3 km).
Joe Kittinger, now an octogenarian, was on hand to witness the dramatic jump from the stratosphere. Indeed, he acted as “Capcom” – capsule communicator – throughout the ascent and descent, maintaining voice contact with the much younger man.
None of the new marks set by Felix Baumgartner can be classed as “official” until approved by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI).
Its representative in Roswell will analyze GPS data recorded on to a microcard in the Austrian’s chest pack. This information will form the basis for any height and speed claims Baumgartner intends to lodge with the FAI.
The adventurer – perhaps best known for leaping off skyscrapers – first discussed the possibility of beating Joe Kittinger’s records in 2005.
Since then, he has had to battle technical and budgetary challenges to make it happen.
What he was proposing was extremely dangerous, even for a man used to those skyscraper stunts.
At an altitude of 120,000 ft (36.5 km), the air pressure is less than 2% of what it is at sea level, and it is impossible to breathe without an oxygen supply.
Others who have tried to break the records for the highest, fastest and longest freefalls have lost their lives in the process.
Felix Baumgartner’s team built him a special pressurized capsule to protect him on the way up, and for his descent he wore a next generation, full pressure suit made by the same company that prepares the flight suits of astronauts.
Although the jump had the appearance of another Felix Baumgartner stunt, his team stressed its high scientific relevance.
The researchers on the Red Bull Stratos project say it has already provided invaluable data for the development of high-performance, high-altitude parachute systems, and that the lessons learned will inform the development of new ideas for emergency evacuation from vehicles, such as spacecraft, passing through the stratosphere.
NASA and its spacecraft manufacturers have asked to be kept informed.
Jon Clark is the medical director on the team. The former shuttle flight surgeon lost his wife in the Columbia accident in 2003.
He said Felix Baumgartner’s experience could help save the lives of future astronauts who get into trouble.
A BBC/National Geographic documentary is being made about the project and will probably be aired in November.
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Felix Baumgartner has lifted off on his mission to break a series of freefall records.
Austrian skydiver’s giant helium balloon left the ground at Roswell, New Mexico, a short while ago and is currently on a climb that should take it to more than 120,000 ft (36.5 km).
Felix Baumgartner will then jump out.
The near absence of air at this high altitude means he should break the speed of sound as he falls – a velocity in excess of 690 mph (1,110 km/h).
The journey down should take 10 minutes, about half of it in freefall.
No-one has ever gone so high in a balloon, nor attempted to make such a high skydive.
The current record for the biggest jump of all time is now 52 years old. It was set by US Air Force Col. Joe Kittinger when he leapt from a helium envelope at an altitude of 102,800 ft (31.3 km).
There are immense risks involved in what Felix Baumgartner is trying to do.
Felix Baumgartner has lifted off on his mission to break a series of freefall records
Where he is going, the air pressure is less than 2% of what it is at sea level, and it is impossible to breathe without an oxygen supply.
Others who have tried to break the existing records for the highest, fastest and longest freefalls have lost their lives in the process.
Engineers have done everything possible to limit the risks. They have built the Austrian a special pressurized capsule to carry him aloft under the helium balloon.
He will also be wearing a next-generation, full-pressure suit, an evolution of the orange protective clothing worn by shuttle astronauts on launch.
Although the jump has the appearance of another Felix Baumgartner stunt, his team prefers to stress its high scientific relevance.
The researchers on the Red Bull Stratos project believe it will inform the development of new systems for emergency evacuation from high-performance, high-altitude vehicles. NASA and its spacecraft manufacturers have asked to be kept informed.
There are a few examples of pilots being ejected in supersonic airflows when their planes broke apart in the sky, but there is no detailed data on what happens to the human body as it goes supersonic and then, as it slows, goes subsonic again.
Felix Baumgartner will be instrumented to acquire this new data.
Engineers have incorporated an automatic device in his gear that would deploy a drogue stabilization chute if he gets into trouble.
There is, however, high confidence in Baumgartner’s team that he will complete the task ahead of him. He has been buoyed by the success of two practice jumps that have taken him progressively higher into the stratosphere – from 71,600ft (21.8km) and 97,100ft (29.6km).
The official lift-off time for the balloon was 09:31 MDT (16:31GMT). Mission control at Roswell airport is following every moment of what is likely to be a more than two-hour ascent to the jump altitude.
Baumgartner is in video and radio contact throughout. The only person who will speak to him, however, is Col. Joe Kittinger, who was brought into the team early to advise the Austrian how best to beat the octogenarian’s records.
“We are going to get your goal and your dream accomplished Felix,” Joe Kittinger told Felix Baumgartner just before lift-off.
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