Record-seeking skydiver makes 13-mile test jump

Associated Press ^ | 3/15/2012 | Marcia Dunn

[U-238]

Skydiving daredevil Felix Baumgartner is more than halfway toward his goal of setting a world record for the highest jump.

Baumgartner lifted off Thursday for a test jump from Roswell, N.M., aboard a 100-foot helium balloon. He rode inside a pressurized capsule to 71,581 feet — 13.6 miles — and then jumped. He parachuted to a safe landing, according to project spokeswoman Trish Medalen.

He's aiming for nearly 23 miles this summer. The record is 19.5 miles.

"The view is amazing, way better than I thought," Baumgartner said after the practice jump, in remarks provided by his representatives.

Thursday's rehearsal was a test of his capsule, full-pressure suit, parachutes and other systems. A mini Mission Control — fashioned after NASA's — monitored his flight.

Baumgartner reached speeds of up to 364.4 mph Thursday and was in free fall for three minutes and 43 seconds, before pulling his parachute cords, Medalen said. The entire jump lasted eight minutes and eight seconds. She stressed that the numbers are still unofficial.

[crazyhorse691]

. You have to catch up to the other jumpers and to do so would go into a dive that would speed you past 200 mph. It was the biggest rush imaginable

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Dude, there are jumps where the incoming fire pretty much eliminates about half of those other jumpers and getting to the ground alive becomes the numero uno object in your head...your definition of fun sucks!!!

[hattend]

If you can find it, the best account of the balloon experiments of the 50s is Kittinger’s Book, “The Long, Lonely Leap”.

I still find it now and then on eBay, I have 2 copies in my library.

[Daffynition]

[gortklattu]

I instructed for about four years. Only one student chickened out - but that was before the tandem days. The students went out alone.

If you jump again, try to get another jumper to swoop down to you.