Parachutist’s Record Fall: Over 25 Miles in 15 Minutes

trekkie · **Posted:** October 24th, 2014, 11:43 pm

Quote:

ROSWELL, N.M. — A well-known computer scientist parachuted from a balloon near the top of the stratosphere on Friday, falling faster than the speed of sound and breaking the world altitude record set just two years ago.

The jump was made by Alan Eustace, 57, a senior vice president of Google. At dawn he was lifted from an abandoned runway at the airport here by a balloon filled with 35,000 cubic feet of helium.

For a little over two hours, the balloon ascended at speeds up to 1,600 feet per minute to an altitude of more than 25 miles. Mr. Eustace dangled underneath in a specially designed spacesuit with an elaborate life-support system. He returned to earth just 15 minutes after starting his fall.

“It was amazing,” he said. “It was beautiful. You could see the darkness of space and you could see the layers of atmosphere, which I had never seen before.”

Mr. Eustace cut himself loose from the balloon with the aid of a small explosive device and plummeted toward the earth at speeds that peaked at 822 miles per hour, setting off a small sonic boom heard by people on the ground.

full article

This was interesting.

Adbot · **Posted:** October 24th, 2014, 11:43 pm

Duke Juker · RSBandB Donor since 07/01/2010

That is so badass. I want to cause a sonic boom one day. Hope it's a little cheaper in the future to do; probably won't be, but I can still dream.

trekkie · **Posted:** October 28th, 2014, 11:33 pm

Waiting for the point of view cam.

Duke Juker · RSBandB Donor since 07/01/2010

trekkie wrote:

Waiting for the point of view cam.

I could settle for that in the meantime.

Speaking of which, in a time when we have GoPros, Smartphones, and microdevices capable of anything, why aren't people recording their awesome feats such as this? If you are gonna spend the money, wouldn't you spend a little extra to immortalize the moment for at least yourself if not everyone else to see?

Wasn't sure if that's what you were getting at trekkie. But if it was, I give credit where credit is do. I just like to hear myself type. :roll:

Editted: Changed "are" to "aren't" to match intended meaning.

Arceus · **Posted:** October 29th, 2014, 6:06 am

Duke Juker wrote:

trekkie wrote:

Waiting for the point of view cam.

I just like to hear myself type. :roll:

Let's buy you a silent keyboard for Christmas with the secret RSB&B fund!

Earth · **Posted:** October 29th, 2014, 6:13 am

Arceus wrote:

Let's buy you a silent keyboard for Christmas with the secret RSB&B fund!

Why would you ever not use a mechanical keyboard?

So Google manages to one-up everyone again...

Adbot · **Posted:** October 29th, 2014, 6:13 am

Duke Juker · RSBandB Donor since 07/01/2010

Earth wrote:

Arceus wrote:

Let's buy you a silent keyboard for Christmas with the secret RSB&B fund!

Why would you ever not use a mechanical keyboard?

So Google manages to one-up everyone again...

Because it's a mechanical keyboard. Ain't nobody got time for dat.

And also, not Google. Just one guy at Google.