Wed, Feb 06, 2013
Record-Setting Freefall Reached 843.6 MPH
When Felix Baumgartner stepped off his capsule into the fringe of space, he began a freefall that eventually reached 843.6 miles per hour ... or Mach 1.25. That makes him the first human to break the sound barrier without any kind of mechanical assistance.
The Red Bull Stratos team posted peer-reviewed results on its website this week. According to the verified data, Baumgartner fell faster than the speed of sound for about 30 seconds before resistance from the thickening atmosphere began to slow him down. He said that for about 35 seconds, he could not sense the air around him "because there was none." He reportedly experienced 25.2 seconds of "absolute weightlessness" during the the initial stages of the freefall.
Other verified statistics indicate that Baumgartner began his freefall from an altitude of 127,852.4 feet, which is slightly lower than the initial estimate of 128,100 feet.
Red Bull says that the documentation was finalized after the mission's science team conducted a private peer review, the "Red Bull Stratos Scientific Summit," at the California Science Center on January 23, 2013. Attendees included NASA astronauts, U.S. Air Force officers, and representatives from commercial aerospace companies such as Virgin Galactic, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, XCOR, Sierra Nevada Corporation and others. The team says that knowing that a person can survive such a jump is important when considering emergency exit contingencies for commercial space travel.
The data are currently under review by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, which certifies world records for aviation.
(Image provided by Red Bull)
More News
Aero Linx: Model Aeronautical Association of Australia MAAA clubs are about fun flying, camaraderie and community. For over 75 years, the MAAA has been Australia’s largest fl>[...]
Touchdown Zone Lighting Two rows of transverse light bars located symmetrically about the runway centerline normally at 100 foot intervals. The basic system extends 3,000 feet alon>[...]
“Discovery and innovation are central to our mission at Virgin Galactic. We’re excited to build on our successful record of facilitating scientific experiments in subor>[...]
How To Get A Story On Aero-TV News/Feature Programming How do I submit a story idea or lead to Aero-TV? If you would like to submit a story idea or lead, please contact Jim Campbel>[...]
Student Pilot Reported That During Rotation, “All Of A Sudden The Back Of The Plane Kicked To The Right..." Analysis: The student pilot reported that during rotation, “>[...]