After flying to an altitude of 39,045 meters (128,100 feet) in a helium-filled balloon, Felix Baumgartner completed a record breaking jump for the ages from the edge of space, exactly 65 years after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket-powered airplane. Felix reached a maximum of speed of 1,342.8 km/h (833mph) through the near vacuum of the stratosphere before being slowed by the atmosphere later during his 4:20 minute long freefall. The 43-year-old Austrian skydiving expert also broke two other world records (highest freefall, highest manned balloon flight), leaving the one for the longest freefall to project mentor Col. Joe Kittinger.
“As we inflated the balloon and got Felix into the capsule at about 11:42 we experienced gust of wind …that took us to above 22 knots at the peak of the balloon, that caused a spinnaker effect on the balloon billowing, which twists the balloon in the launch arm, the integrity of the balloon at that point is really unknown and unacceptable to use for manned flight because we were not sure what would happen as we launched.”
Felix Baumgartner
What kind of material makes up Felix Baumgartner’s balloon?
The balloon is constructed of nearly transparent polyethylene (plastic) strips about the same thickness as a dry cleaner bag, which are heat-sealed together.
Why use such a delicate material?
A very large balloon is needed to carry the Red Bull Stratos capsule (which weighs nearly 3,000 lbs / 1.360 kg) to the stratosphere. Very thin material is necessary to save weight. As it is, despite the light weight of the polyethylene, there is so much of it (40 acres) in Felix’s balloon that uninflated it weighs 3,708 lbs / 1.682 kg.
What is the balloon filled with, and why?
The balloon is filled with helium. Helium is lighter than air, providing the lift needed to take a heavy payload to the stratosphere.
How is a helium balloon different than hot air balloons used for sightseeing?
They’re different in many ways, including size, material and construction methods, but perhaps most significantly, using helium for lift allows a higher altitude. A hot air balloon is limited because the air inside must be heated (usually via propane burners) to provide lift — and with low oxygen in the upper stratosphere such heating wouldn’t be feasible. Helium is lighter than air and provides lift without heating.
How much helium is used?
The team will insert about 180,000 cubic feet / 5.097 cubic meters of helium at launch. As the balloon rises and the air pressure decreases, the helium will expand until the entire capacity of nearly 30 million cubic feet /849,505 cubic meters is completely full.
That’s 10 times larger than Joe Kittinger’s balloon in 1960, and three times bigger than the largest balloon ever launched with humans aboard (project Strato-Lab in 1961).
What are the dimensions of the balloon?
Length of uninflated balloon before launch: 592.41 feet / 180.56 meters
Height of balloon at takeoff: 550 feet / 167 meters
Takeoff height from the top of balloon to bottom of capsule: about 750 feet / 228 meters
Size of balloon at 120,000 feet / 36.576 meters:
- Height 335 feet / Diameter: 424 feet
- Height 102 meters / Diameter 129 meters
What kind of weather conditions are necessary to launch such a large balloon?
The factor that concerns the team most is wind. Winds must be no more than about 2 mph / 3 kmh from ground level to about 800 feet / 244 meters.
What else are these kinds of balloons used for?
Helium balloons are used by government and university programs to launch weather equipment and telescopes that look into deep space, and also to provide near-space testing of components in preparation for eventual space missions. They are usually custom made, so there are very few in existence.
Can anyone fly a helium balloon?
No, a special license is required.
What happens to the balloon after Felix’s jump is complete?
When Mission Control determines that the balloon is over an appropriate area, the capsule is remotely triggered to detach from the balloon. The balloon is automatically torn by a cable as it separates from the capsule, so the helium, which is nontoxic when vented into the atmosphere, escapes and the empty balloon envelope falls to earth. A field crew retrieves polyethylene material, a process they’ve compared to “wrestling an elephant.” The balloon team also retrieves a digital logger to analyze data from the mission, which can help to inform future flights.
Who launches the balloon?
The balloon launch crew is from ATA Aerospace, a company with a half-century of experience, including support of some of Joe Kittinger’s missions. ATA Aerospace is trusted to launch U.S. Air Force high-altitude balloon projects, and collectively the crew members for the Red Bull Stratos balloon have the experience of thousands of balloon launches. Key among them are crew chief Ed Coca, who directs the team on the runway, and project lead Tracy Gerber, who coordinates balloon launch operations from Mission Control.
How many balloons does the Red Bull Stratos team have?
The team had two identical balloons on hand for Felix’s record-breaking attempt. One was used for the aborted launch on October 9 and cannot be re-used. An identical backup balloon will be used for the next attempt, and the team is investigating the possibility of procuring a third balloon should it be needed.
Capt. Charles E. Yeager (next to the Air Force's Bell-built X-1 supersonic research aircraft) became the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound October 14, 1947. Air Force FTC History Office
Official photo USAF, Edwards AFB, CA. The first supersonic flight flown on Oct. 14, 1947 with the Bell X-1.
On October 14, 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first man to break the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket-powered airplane. Baumgartner is aiming for freefall at supersonic speeds without the aid of an aircraft and provide another milestone in aerospace exploration, to make future space travel safer.
Baumgartner, who said he relishes the chance to break four world records exactly 65 years to the day after Yeager first broke the sound barrier in an airplane, is ready to go: “I’m here with my family and friends who are all super supportive. I go to the gym and try to keep myself fit. I’ve done all of my homework. Had all of my briefings with the team I trust. All we are waiting for now is the weather.”
Baumgartner needs near wind-less conditions at ground level and clear skies to get his balloon inflated and then aloft. He will ride in a space capsule attached to a 850,000 cubic meter helium balloon to a record-breaking altitude of 36,576 meters (120,000 feet). There the 43-year-old adventurer will jump out into the lifeless stratosphere and attempt to break the sound barrier at speeds near 1,110 km/h during his plunge back to earth.
After training for five years for the leap that is designed to improve our scientific understanding of how the body copes with the extreme conditions at the edge of space, Baumgartner was just minutes away from launch on Tuesday when a sudden gust of wind knocked the top of the balloon at 230 meters high down to the ground and forced the mission to be scrapped. Baumgartner was disappointed but not disheartened: “I want to break the speed of sound, no matter what it takes,” he said. “As long as we have a spare balloon and more launch days, I’m good.” Red Bull Stratos has a back-up balloon and Baumgartner will get another chance as soon as the weather conditions are ideal - clear skies and winds of less than 3 km/h at the ground and not much stronger at the top of the balloon. Such conditions occur only one to two days a week at this time of the year. This Sunday and Monday look favorable and Baumgartner and his team are determined to take every chance offered to them.
Baumgartner’s mission to the edge of space has raised global awareness and interest in the effort to advance the world’s understanding of human survival in the hostile environment of the stratosphere. More and more companies, such as private space enterprises, are now lining up to get access to the data and knowledge Red Bull Stratos is accumulating. “I think it’s important that people keep talking about it,” Baumgartner said. “Now that they’ve seen how hard it is to launch I think they’ll appreciate what they see even more. If it were easy, it would not have taken 52 years to get close to achieving what Joe Kittinger 1960. “
Baumgartner has learned a thing or two about the need to be patient from Joe Kittinger, who 52 years ago as an U.S. Air Force Captain set the record for highest altitude jump that the Austrian is now trying to break. Kittinger, who is now an advisor to the project and Baumgartner’s mentor, also had to endure a long wait for the ideal conditions before his jump.
Meteorologist Don Day & Col. (ret) Joe Kittinger
Weather appears to look favorable enough to allow Felix Baumgartner to have another chance to jump from 120,000 feet/36,576 meters on Sunday. After last Tuesday’s attempt was aborted due to winds, the team continues to carefully monitor signs for calm wind in the critical launch area from the surface to 800 feet above. Here are the team’s remarks from the latest press conference:
“The media is part of our team, you’re part of our family and you have a hell of a responsibility to tell the story to the whole world and we appreciate your contribution that you make to this program.”
“We have to go on mandatory crew rest. Our recommendation to get people going is they go out they eat a really big meal with a large dessert, and then they go into a food coma and then wake up in time for the 2300 hour briefing back at the mess hall for updates on weather.”
“Felix is doing great. We had a nice solid workout last night….at this stage in the program he’s into his routine, he’s in high spirits.”
Dr. Jon Clark, Medical Director for Red Bull Stratos
Felix after 1st launch attempt Oct. 9, 2012
“I have been very heavily involved in spacecraft escape and stratospheric bailout, and so for me the ultimate reason I am here is to validate that crew can survive higher altitudes and higher speed without adverse effects. If this can be done, it opens up a whole new avenue for crew escape out from spacecraft in emergency situations. Red Bull Stratos is accumulating a huge amount of data that can further that effort.” -Dr. Jonathan Clark, Red Bull Stratos Medical Director
Focusing on the importance of this effort to freefall at supersonic speeds, we asked pilot Felix Baumgartner how he was coping with the delay that stemmed from last week’s launch abort. With the second attempt set to take place today, pending ideal weather conditions, Felix Baumgartner explains his feelings moving ahead.
With all this waiting, how do you keep yourself so positive?
I am here with my family and friends who are all super supportive. I go to the gym and try to keep myself fit. I’ve done all of my homework and had all of my briefings with the team I trust. All we are waiting for now is the weather.
What is it about your preparation that makes you so sure you can accomplish the mission?
For the technical part, I have the best team behind me. For me, I have been preparing ever since I started base jumping. I have been working towards this goal since I was a little kid when I started looking up to people like Joe Kittinger. And with him on my team, I know I am surrounded by the best in the field.
When you have successfully completed the Mission, what will be the most important takeaway for you and for the science community?
Of course, I will be proud to be the first person to break the speed of sound in freefall. But really I know that part of this entire experience will help make the next pressure suit safer for space tourists and aviators. I know for my family and friends, they’ll be most happy that I’m back on the ground safe.
Another aspect is all of the messages I get each day. Every day I get messages from people around the world. One of them, a 13-year-old boy who is fighting cancer, told me, ‘the way you have carried on with this project, makes me want to fight my own battle.’ All of these messages are big motivators for me.
How high do you rate the chances that you will lift off this Sunday?
It’s difficult to say, but we rely on the predictions of Don Day. And every launch in the past has shown me that Don is always on target.
What does it mean to you - seeing the attention that your first launch attempt created around the world?
I think it’s important that people keep talking about it. Now that they’ve seen how hard it is to launch, I think they’ll appreciate what they see even more.
If you achieve your goal on Sunday, instead of another day, how do you feel about doing it on the same day that Chuck Yeager broke the speed of sound with a vehicle?
In 65 years, it goes to show there are still challenges to overcome and you should never lose sight of trying to achieve them. I would be proud to be a part of that group of explorers.
Many steps lead to the final jump
Felix suits up
Mike Todd walks Felix from the trailer to the capsule. Felix continues prebreathing.
Felix runs through the capsule status checks with Joe Kittinger.
We are up, up, and away! Before Felix is launched to 120,000 feet, there are several items on the checklist that must be completed.
4 Hours to Launch: Felix Baumgartner conducts a meticulous inspection of the capsule.
2 Hours 30 Minutes to Launch: Felix gets a final medical check, and a compact, state-of-the-art physiological monitoring system is strapped to his chest worn under his pressure suit throughout the mission.
2 Hours to Launch: Life Support Engineer Mike Todd assists Felix with his pressure suit, a painstaking process. Felix pre-breathes oxygen for two hours to eliminate nitrogen from his bloodstream, which could expand dangerously at altitude. He awaits the announcement that the balloon is inflated and can move to the capsule.
30 Minutes to Launch: Felix is strapped into his capsule chair to conduct final instrument checks as directed by Mission Control. Then Capsule Engineer Jon Wells seals the clear acrylic door. Baumgartner will await countdown and, finally, launch.
LAUNCH
Felix’s ascent will mark the first time in history that a nearly 30 million cubic foot / 850.000 cubic meter balloon of this size has ever been launched with a human on board.
ASCENT
2,000 feet / 600 meters: If the ascent failed in the first 2,000 feet / 600 meters, there would not be enough time for the balloon’s parachute to deploy or for Felix to get out of the capsule and deploy his own, and the risk remains relatively high to 4,000 feet / 1.200 meters.
4,000 feet / 1.200 meters: Initial ascent appears to be successful. From this point on, should a problem occur, full parachute deployment is possible.
25,000 feet / 7.620 meters: Without oxygen, Felix would have only an estimated 2.5 minutes of useful consciousness.
25,000 to 45,000 feet / 7.620 to 13.716 meters: This region is home to the jet stream, the mission’s biggest risk for wind shear.
35,000 feet / 10.668 meters: A typical cruising altitude for passenger jets.
36,000 feet / 10.973 meters: Average height where the tropopause begins (boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere, which varies according to latitude and seasonal weather).
45,000 feet / 13.716 meters: Without oxygen, Felix would have only an estimated 15 seconds of useful consciousness.
63,000 feet / 19.200 meters: The general area of the so-called “Armstrong Line,” above which bodily fluids turn to vapor (“boil” at body temperature) without pressurization.
71,615 feet / 21.828 meters: Altitude of Felix’s first test jump in March 2012, during which he reached a speed of 364.69 mph / 586.92 km/h.
85,000 feet / 25.908 meters: The typical operating ceiling altitude of the highest-flying aircraft, such as the SR-71.
97,145 feet / 29.610 meters: Altitude of Felix’s second test jump in July 2012, during which he reached a speed of 536.8 mph / 864 km/h.
100,000 feet / 30.480 meters: Above this altitude, the balloon’s ascent rate will likely decrease, and its volume can be expected to double for each 10,000 feet / 3.048 meters in altitude.
102,800 feet / 31.333 meters: Joe Kittinger’s record for highest freefall jump (Project Excelsior, 1960).
113,740 feet, / 34.668 meters: Altitude record for highest manned balloon flight (Victor Prather and Malcolm Ross, Project Strato-Lab, 1961).
120,000 feet / 36.576 meters: Minimum target “float” altitude. When balloon levels off, Felix goes through his final checklist and exits the capsule.
JUMP
120,000 feet / 36.576 meters (approximate)
DESCENT
115,000 feet / 35.050 meters: From Felix’s jump until he reaches this altitude, the air is almost a vacuum; so thin that he will have no resistance to work against – he won’t be able to control his position. Once he descends below 115,000 feet / 35.050 meters, he will gradually begin to be able to use his body to control his position and will attempt to achieve a streamlined, head-down “Delta” position before breaking the speed of sound.
107,000–102,000 feet / 32.613–31.090 meters: If Felix goes supersonic, it will likely be in this altitude range.
100,000–95,000 feet / 30.480–28.956 meters: Air density begins to slow Felix.
90,000 feet / 27.432 meters: By this point Felix should have decelerated below supersonic speeds.
68,000–36,000 feet / 20.726–10.973 meters: Region of coldest temperatures Felix will experience. Temperatures of -70° F. / -56° C. or lower are possible.
5,000 feet / 1.524 meters: Most probable altitude for Felix to deploy his main parachute. With his freefall likely having lasted more than 5 and a half minutes, this sets a new record for longest freefall time (breaking Joe Kittinger’s Excelsior III freefall mark of 4 minutes, 36 seconds).
2,000 feet / 600 meters: If Felix’s descent were to exceed 115 feet / 35 meters per second at approximately 2,000 feet / 600 meters, the CYPRES automatic activation device would deploy his reserve (emergency) parachute.
Landing: Felix is met by the medical team for initial evaluation, as well as by an official observer who takes possession of a data card from Felix’s chest pack to begin the record verification process. Felix returns to the launch site via helicopter.
Felix Baumgartner's mom looks on as Felix ascends
Felix during the 2nd manned test jump
“Start the cameras and our guardian angel will take care of you.” Words of wisdom from Col. Joe Kittinger before Felix stepped away from his capsule falling into the stratosphere.
After 9 minutes and 3 seconds (preliminary data) from jump to landing, Felix touched the ground safely with a perfect landing. He kneeled down in celebration of an accomplishment that took extraordinary dedication and training to get to this day.
Preliminary figures (awaiting official record data)
Altitude reached: 128,097
Total time from jump to landing: 9 min. 3 seconds
Freefall duration: 4 min. 19 seconds
Speed: 1137 km per hour
Worldwide announcement
Felix's mom, Eva Baumgartner, watches the sky
“It was an incredible up and down today, just like it’s been with the whole project. First we got off with a beautiful launch and then we had a bit of drama with a power supply issue to my visor.” Felix Baumgartner describes his record breaking jump from the stratosphere.
“The exit was perfect but then I started spinning slowly. I thought I’d just spin a few times and that would be that, but then I started to speed up. It was really brutal at times. I thought for a few seconds that I’d lose consciousness. I didn’t feel a sonic boom because I was so busy just trying to stabilize myself. We’ll have to wait and see if we really broke the sound barrier. It was really a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.”
Felix Baumgartner earned his place in the history books on Sunday after overcoming concerns with the power for his visor heater that impaired his vision and nearly jeopardized the mission. Felix reached an estimated speed of *833.9 mph / 1,342.8 km/h (Mach 1.24). This preliminary figure would make him the first man to break the speed of sound in freefall and set more records* while delivering valuable data for space exploration.
After reaching an altitude of 128,100 feet (39,045 meters) in a helium-filled balloon, Felix Baumgartner completed a record breaking jump from the edge of space, exactly 65 years after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket powered airplane. The 43-year-old Austrian skydiving expert also broke two other world records (highest freefall, highest manned balloon flight), leaving the longest freefall to project mentor Col. Joe Kittinger.
* The data on the records set by the jump are preliminary pending confirmation from the authorized governing bodies.
Watched this live, it was pretty sweet to see, started watching on Discovery Channel until football games started coming on, then switched to the Youtube link :D
Edit: Another note I was astounded by: The balloon was 10 times thinner than a sandwich bag :O (in case someone wanted a comparison other than a dryer sheet)
I overheard two gentlemen discussing this at the swimming pool yesterday. One of them said, 'When he's that high up, I thought you just float into space?' and the other said, 'I guess he weighed too much to float into space'.
They were being serious... Hurray for ignorance!
As for the dive itself, it's epic and those views are once in a lifetime... I'm not sure you could pay me enough to do that though! So in that regard, I don't envy him. But I envy the opportunity to do something as exhilarating and breathtaking as this.
One of them said, 'When he's that high up, I thought you just float into space?' and the other said, 'I guess he weighed too much to float into space'.
One of them said, 'When he's that high up, I thought you just float into space?' and the other said, 'I guess he weighed too much to float into space'.
After flying to an altitude of 39,045 meters (128,100 feet) in a helium-filled balloon, Felix Baumgartner completed a record breaking jump for the ages from the edge of space, exactly 65 years after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket-powered airplane. Felix reached a maximum of speed of 1,342.8 km/h (833mph) through the near vacuum of the stratosphere before being slowed by the atmosphere later during his 4:20 minute long freefall. The 43-year-old Austrian skydiving expert also broke two other world records (highest freefall, highest manned balloon flight), leaving the one for the longest freefall to project mentor Col. Joe Kittinger.
“As we inflated the balloon and got Felix into the capsule at about 11:42 we experienced gust of wind …that took us to above 22 knots at the peak of the balloon, that caused a spinnaker effect on the balloon billowing, which twists the balloon in the launch arm, the integrity of the balloon at that point is really unknown and unacceptable to use for manned flight because we were not sure what would happen as we launched.”
Felix Baumgartner
What kind of material makes up Felix Baumgartner’s balloon?
The balloon is constructed of nearly transparent polyethylene (plastic) strips about the same thickness as a dry cleaner bag, which are heat-sealed together.
Why use such a delicate material?
A very large balloon is needed to carry the Red Bull Stratos capsule (which weighs nearly 3,000 lbs / 1.360 kg) to the stratosphere. Very thin material is necessary to save weight. As it is, despite the light weight of the polyethylene, there is so much of it (40 acres) in Felix’s balloon that uninflated it weighs 3,708 lbs / 1.682 kg.
What is the balloon filled with, and why?
The balloon is filled with helium. Helium is lighter than air, providing the lift needed to take a heavy payload to the stratosphere.
How is a helium balloon different than hot air balloons used for sightseeing?
They’re different in many ways, including size, material and construction methods, but perhaps most significantly, using helium for lift allows a higher altitude. A hot air balloon is limited because the air inside must be heated (usually via propane burners) to provide lift — and with low oxygen in the upper stratosphere such heating wouldn’t be feasible. Helium is lighter than air and provides lift without heating.
How much helium is used?
The team will insert about 180,000 cubic feet / 5.097 cubic meters of helium at launch. As the balloon rises and the air pressure decreases, the helium will expand until the entire capacity of nearly 30 million cubic feet /849,505 cubic meters is completely full.
That’s 10 times larger than Joe Kittinger’s balloon in 1960, and three times bigger than the largest balloon ever launched with humans aboard (project Strato-Lab in 1961).
What are the dimensions of the balloon?
Length of uninflated balloon before launch: 592.41 feet / 180.56 meters
Height of balloon at takeoff: 550 feet / 167 meters
Takeoff height from the top of balloon to bottom of capsule: about 750 feet / 228 meters
Size of balloon at 120,000 feet / 36.576 meters:
- Height 335 feet / Diameter: 424 feet
- Height 102 meters / Diameter 129 meters
What kind of weather conditions are necessary to launch such a large balloon?
The factor that concerns the team most is wind. Winds must be no more than about 2 mph / 3 kmh from ground level to about 800 feet / 244 meters.
What else are these kinds of balloons used for?
Helium balloons are used by government and university programs to launch weather equipment and telescopes that look into deep space, and also to provide near-space testing of components in preparation for eventual space missions. They are usually custom made, so there are very few in existence.
Can anyone fly a helium balloon?
No, a special license is required.
What happens to the balloon after Felix’s jump is complete?
When Mission Control determines that the balloon is over an appropriate area, the capsule is remotely triggered to detach from the balloon. The balloon is automatically torn by a cable as it separates from the capsule, so the helium, which is nontoxic when vented into the atmosphere, escapes and the empty balloon envelope falls to earth. A field crew retrieves polyethylene material, a process they’ve compared to “wrestling an elephant.” The balloon team also retrieves a digital logger to analyze data from the mission, which can help to inform future flights.
Who launches the balloon?
The balloon launch crew is from ATA Aerospace, a company with a half-century of experience, including support of some of Joe Kittinger’s missions. ATA Aerospace is trusted to launch U.S. Air Force high-altitude balloon projects, and collectively the crew members for the Red Bull Stratos balloon have the experience of thousands of balloon launches. Key among them are crew chief Ed Coca, who directs the team on the runway, and project lead Tracy Gerber, who coordinates balloon launch operations from Mission Control.
How many balloons does the Red Bull Stratos team have?
The team had two identical balloons on hand for Felix’s record-breaking attempt. One was used for the aborted launch on October 9 and cannot be re-used. An identical backup balloon will be used for the next attempt, and the team is investigating the possibility of procuring a third balloon should it be needed.
Capt. Charles E. Yeager (next to the Air Force's Bell-built X-1 supersonic research aircraft) became the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound October 14, 1947. Air Force FTC History Office
Official photo USAF, Edwards AFB, CA. The first supersonic flight flown on Oct. 14, 1947 with the Bell X-1.
On October 14, 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first man to break the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket-powered airplane. Baumgartner is aiming for freefall at supersonic speeds without the aid of an aircraft and provide another milestone in aerospace exploration, to make future space travel safer.
Baumgartner, who said he relishes the chance to break four world records exactly 65 years to the day after Yeager first broke the sound barrier in an airplane, is ready to go: “I’m here with my family and friends who are all super supportive. I go to the gym and try to keep myself fit. I’ve done all of my homework. Had all of my briefings with the team I trust. All we are waiting for now is the weather.”
Baumgartner needs near wind-less conditions at ground level and clear skies to get his balloon inflated and then aloft. He will ride in a space capsule attached to a 850,000 cubic meter helium balloon to a record-breaking altitude of 36,576 meters (120,000 feet). There the 43-year-old adventurer will jump out into the lifeless stratosphere and attempt to break the sound barrier at speeds near 1,110 km/h during his plunge back to earth.
After training for five years for the leap that is designed to improve our scientific understanding of how the body copes with the extreme conditions at the edge of space, Baumgartner was just minutes away from launch on Tuesday when a sudden gust of wind knocked the top of the balloon at 230 meters high down to the ground and forced the mission to be scrapped. Baumgartner was disappointed but not disheartened: “I want to break the speed of sound, no matter what it takes,” he said. “As long as we have a spare balloon and more launch days, I’m good.” Red Bull Stratos has a back-up balloon and Baumgartner will get another chance as soon as the weather conditions are ideal - clear skies and winds of less than 3 km/h at the ground and not much stronger at the top of the balloon. Such conditions occur only one to two days a week at this time of the year. This Sunday and Monday look favorable and Baumgartner and his team are determined to take every chance offered to them.
Baumgartner’s mission to the edge of space has raised global awareness and interest in the effort to advance the world’s understanding of human survival in the hostile environment of the stratosphere. More and more companies, such as private space enterprises, are now lining up to get access to the data and knowledge Red Bull Stratos is accumulating. “I think it’s important that people keep talking about it,” Baumgartner said. “Now that they’ve seen how hard it is to launch I think they’ll appreciate what they see even more. If it were easy, it would not have taken 52 years to get close to achieving what Joe Kittinger 1960. “
Baumgartner has learned a thing or two about the need to be patient from Joe Kittinger, who 52 years ago as an U.S. Air Force Captain set the record for highest altitude jump that the Austrian is now trying to break. Kittinger, who is now an advisor to the project and Baumgartner’s mentor, also had to endure a long wait for the ideal conditions before his jump.
Meteorologist Don Day & Col. (ret) Joe Kittinger
Weather appears to look favorable enough to allow Felix Baumgartner to have another chance to jump from 120,000 feet/36,576 meters on Sunday. After last Tuesday’s attempt was aborted due to winds, the team continues to carefully monitor signs for calm wind in the critical launch area from the surface to 800 feet above. Here are the team’s remarks from the latest press conference:
“The media is part of our team, you’re part of our family and you have a hell of a responsibility to tell the story to the whole world and we appreciate your contribution that you make to this program.”
“We have to go on mandatory crew rest. Our recommendation to get people going is they go out they eat a really big meal with a large dessert, and then they go into a food coma and then wake up in time for the 2300 hour briefing back at the mess hall for updates on weather.”
“Felix is doing great. We had a nice solid workout last night….at this stage in the program he’s into his routine, he’s in high spirits.”
Dr. Jon Clark, Medical Director for Red Bull Stratos
Felix after 1st launch attempt Oct. 9, 2012
“I have been very heavily involved in spacecraft escape and stratospheric bailout, and so for me the ultimate reason I am here is to validate that crew can survive higher altitudes and higher speed without adverse effects. If this can be done, it opens up a whole new avenue for crew escape out from spacecraft in emergency situations. Red Bull Stratos is accumulating a huge amount of data that can further that effort.” -Dr. Jonathan Clark, Red Bull Stratos Medical Director
Focusing on the importance of this effort to freefall at supersonic speeds, we asked pilot Felix Baumgartner how he was coping with the delay that stemmed from last week’s launch abort. With the second attempt set to take place today, pending ideal weather conditions, Felix Baumgartner explains his feelings moving ahead.
With all this waiting, how do you keep yourself so positive?
I am here with my family and friends who are all super supportive. I go to the gym and try to keep myself fit. I’ve done all of my homework and had all of my briefings with the team I trust. All we are waiting for now is the weather.
What is it about your preparation that makes you so sure you can accomplish the mission?
For the technical part, I have the best team behind me. For me, I have been preparing ever since I started base jumping. I have been working towards this goal since I was a little kid when I started looking up to people like Joe Kittinger. And with him on my team, I know I am surrounded by the best in the field.
When you have successfully completed the Mission, what will be the most important takeaway for you and for the science community?
Of course, I will be proud to be the first person to break the speed of sound in freefall. But really I know that part of this entire experience will help make the next pressure suit safer for space tourists and aviators. I know for my family and friends, they’ll be most happy that I’m back on the ground safe.
Another aspect is all of the messages I get each day. Every day I get messages from people around the world. One of them, a 13-year-old boy who is fighting cancer, told me, ‘the way you have carried on with this project, makes me want to fight my own battle.’ All of these messages are big motivators for me.
How high do you rate the chances that you will lift off this Sunday?
It’s difficult to say, but we rely on the predictions of Don Day. And every launch in the past has shown me that Don is always on target.
What does it mean to you - seeing the attention that your first launch attempt created around the world?
I think it’s important that people keep talking about it. Now that they’ve seen how hard it is to launch, I think they’ll appreciate what they see even more.
If you achieve your goal on Sunday, instead of another day, how do you feel about doing it on the same day that Chuck Yeager broke the speed of sound with a vehicle?
In 65 years, it goes to show there are still challenges to overcome and you should never lose sight of trying to achieve them. I would be proud to be a part of that group of explorers.
Many steps lead to the final jump
Felix suits up
Mike Todd walks Felix from the trailer to the capsule. Felix continues prebreathing.
Felix runs through the capsule status checks with Joe Kittinger.
We are up, up, and away! Before Felix is launched to 120,000 feet, there are several items on the checklist that must be completed.
4 Hours to Launch: Felix Baumgartner conducts a meticulous inspection of the capsule.
2 Hours 30 Minutes to Launch: Felix gets a final medical check, and a compact, state-of-the-art physiological monitoring system is strapped to his chest worn under his pressure suit throughout the mission.
2 Hours to Launch: Life Support Engineer Mike Todd assists Felix with his pressure suit, a painstaking process. Felix pre-breathes oxygen for two hours to eliminate nitrogen from his bloodstream, which could expand dangerously at altitude. He awaits the announcement that the balloon is inflated and can move to the capsule.
30 Minutes to Launch: Felix is strapped into his capsule chair to conduct final instrument checks as directed by Mission Control. Then Capsule Engineer Jon Wells seals the clear acrylic door. Baumgartner will await countdown and, finally, launch.
LAUNCH
Felix’s ascent will mark the first time in history that a nearly 30 million cubic foot / 850.000 cubic meter balloon of this size has ever been launched with a human on board.
ASCENT
2,000 feet / 600 meters: If the ascent failed in the first 2,000 feet / 600 meters, there would not be enough time for the balloon’s parachute to deploy or for Felix to get out of the capsule and deploy his own, and the risk remains relatively high to 4,000 feet / 1.200 meters.
4,000 feet / 1.200 meters: Initial ascent appears to be successful. From this point on, should a problem occur, full parachute deployment is possible.
25,000 feet / 7.620 meters: Without oxygen, Felix would have only an estimated 2.5 minutes of useful consciousness.
25,000 to 45,000 feet / 7.620 to 13.716 meters: This region is home to the jet stream, the mission’s biggest risk for wind shear.
35,000 feet / 10.668 meters: A typical cruising altitude for passenger jets.
36,000 feet / 10.973 meters: Average height where the tropopause begins (boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere, which varies according to latitude and seasonal weather).
45,000 feet / 13.716 meters: Without oxygen, Felix would have only an estimated 15 seconds of useful consciousness.
63,000 feet / 19.200 meters: The general area of the so-called “Armstrong Line,” above which bodily fluids turn to vapor (“boil” at body temperature) without pressurization.
71,615 feet / 21.828 meters: Altitude of Felix’s first test jump in March 2012, during which he reached a speed of 364.69 mph / 586.92 km/h.
85,000 feet / 25.908 meters: The typical operating ceiling altitude of the highest-flying aircraft, such as the SR-71.
97,145 feet / 29.610 meters: Altitude of Felix’s second test jump in July 2012, during which he reached a speed of 536.8 mph / 864 km/h.
100,000 feet / 30.480 meters: Above this altitude, the balloon’s ascent rate will likely decrease, and its volume can be expected to double for each 10,000 feet / 3.048 meters in altitude.
102,800 feet / 31.333 meters: Joe Kittinger’s record for highest freefall jump (Project Excelsior, 1960).
113,740 feet, / 34.668 meters: Altitude record for highest manned balloon flight (Victor Prather and Malcolm Ross, Project Strato-Lab, 1961).
120,000 feet / 36.576 meters: Minimum target “float” altitude. When balloon levels off, Felix goes through his final checklist and exits the capsule.
JUMP
120,000 feet / 36.576 meters (approximate)
DESCENT
115,000 feet / 35.050 meters: From Felix’s jump until he reaches this altitude, the air is almost a vacuum; so thin that he will have no resistance to work against – he won’t be able to control his position. Once he descends below 115,000 feet / 35.050 meters, he will gradually begin to be able to use his body to control his position and will attempt to achieve a streamlined, head-down “Delta” position before breaking the speed of sound.
107,000–102,000 feet / 32.613–31.090 meters: If Felix goes supersonic, it will likely be in this altitude range.
100,000–95,000 feet / 30.480–28.956 meters: Air density begins to slow Felix.
90,000 feet / 27.432 meters: By this point Felix should have decelerated below supersonic speeds.
68,000–36,000 feet / 20.726–10.973 meters: Region of coldest temperatures Felix will experience. Temperatures of -70° F. / -56° C. or lower are possible.
5,000 feet / 1.524 meters: Most probable altitude for Felix to deploy his main parachute. With his freefall likely having lasted more than 5 and a half minutes, this sets a new record for longest freefall time (breaking Joe Kittinger’s Excelsior III freefall mark of 4 minutes, 36 seconds).
2,000 feet / 600 meters: If Felix’s descent were to exceed 115 feet / 35 meters per second at approximately 2,000 feet / 600 meters, the CYPRES automatic activation device would deploy his reserve (emergency) parachute.
Landing: Felix is met by the medical team for initial evaluation, as well as by an official observer who takes possession of a data card from Felix’s chest pack to begin the record verification process. Felix returns to the launch site via helicopter.
Felix Baumgartner's mom looks on as Felix ascends
Felix during the 2nd manned test jump
“Start the cameras and our guardian angel will take care of you.” Words of wisdom from Col. Joe Kittinger before Felix stepped away from his capsule falling into the stratosphere.
After 9 minutes and 3 seconds (preliminary data) from jump to landing, Felix touched the ground safely with a perfect landing. He kneeled down in celebration of an accomplishment that took extraordinary dedication and training to get to this day.
Preliminary figures (awaiting official record data)
Altitude reached: 128,097
Total time from jump to landing: 9 min. 3 seconds
Freefall duration: 4 min. 19 seconds
Speed: 1137 km per hour
Worldwide announcement
Felix's mom, Eva Baumgartner, watches the sky
“It was an incredible up and down today, just like it’s been with the whole project. First we got off with a beautiful launch and then we had a bit of drama with a power supply issue to my visor.” Felix Baumgartner describes his record breaking jump from the stratosphere.
“The exit was perfect but then I started spinning slowly. I thought I’d just spin a few times and that would be that, but then I started to speed up. It was really brutal at times. I thought for a few seconds that I’d lose consciousness. I didn’t feel a sonic boom because I was so busy just trying to stabilize myself. We’ll have to wait and see if we really broke the sound barrier. It was really a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.”
Felix Baumgartner earned his place in the history books on Sunday after overcoming concerns with the power for his visor heater that impaired his vision and nearly jeopardized the mission. Felix reached an estimated speed of *833.9 mph / 1,342.8 km/h (Mach 1.24). This preliminary figure would make him the first man to break the speed of sound in freefall and set more records* while delivering valuable data for space exploration.
After reaching an altitude of 128,100 feet (39,045 meters) in a helium-filled balloon, Felix Baumgartner completed a record breaking jump from the edge of space, exactly 65 years after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket powered airplane. The 43-year-old Austrian skydiving expert also broke two other world records (highest freefall, highest manned balloon flight), leaving the longest freefall to project mentor Col. Joe Kittinger.
* The data on the records set by the jump are preliminary pending confirmation from the authorized governing bodies.
