Google VP Alan Eustace Breaks World Record for Highest Freefall.

[Moosedrool]

OK this was a surprise.

OCT. 24, 2014

“It was a wild, wild ride,” he said. “I hugged on to the equipment module and tucked my legs and I held my heading.”

He did not feel or hear the boom as he passed the speed of sound, he said. He performed two slow backflips before a small parachute righted him.

His technical team had designed a carbon-fiber attachment that kept him from becoming entangled in the main parachute before it opened. About four-and-a-half minutes into his flight, he opened the main parachute and glided to a landing 70 miles from the launch site.

“To break an aviation record is incredibly significant,” said Mark Kelly, the former astronaut, who viewed Mr. Eustace’s ascent. “There is an incredible amount of risk. To do it safely is a testament to the people involved.”

Mr. Eustace’s maximum altitude was initially reported as 135,908 feet. Based on information from two data loggers, the final number being submitted to the World Air Sports Federation is 135,890 feet.

The previous altitude record was set by the Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner, who jumped from 128,100 feet on Oct. 14, 2012.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/25/s...ing-felix-baumgartners-world-record.html?_r=0

Not nearly the amount of media coverage Felix and the team had.

Edit:

Stratex: http://www.paragonsdc.com/stratex/

 

[rwenzori]

I'm glad he didn't hit the brakes half way down.

 

[Picard]

I'm glad he didn't hit the brakes half way down.

[video=youtube;bcYppAs6ZdI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bcYppAs6ZdI[/video]

 

[Toxin]

You know what's hilarious? When Baumgartner did his jump there were three threads created on these forums totalling over 600 posts..... This one only has four so far.... To be fair tho there's not much to say, other than Red Bull and Baumgartner must be feeling like morons now.

Oh and I'll just leave this here.

Eustace told the New York Times that Google was willing to assist him, but he declined out of fear it'd get turned into a marketing stunt.

Gizmodo artcle

Sounds like a cool guy.

 

[Fulcrum29]

I guess he had to do this, nobody knows anybody at Google

 

[koeksGHT]

Not nearly the amount of media coverage Felix and the team had.

Yeah no Redbull to give him wings

 

[Packer]

OK this was a surprise.

OCT. 24, 2014



http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/25/s...ing-felix-baumgartners-world-record.html?_r=0

Not nearly the amount of media coverage Felix and the team had.

Edit:

Stratex: http://www.paragonsdc.com/stratex/

I might be missing something here. OK, it was a really high jump, but it was a **jump**. Any parachutist could have done it (and payed for the privilege). The logistics of the jump would have been much more difficult than the actual jump.

 

[ShaunSA]

Most men hitting that age find a sexy blonde to shag

 

[Pitbull]

OK this was a surprise.

OCT. 24, 2014



http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/25/s...ing-felix-baumgartners-world-record.html?_r=0

Not nearly the amount of media coverage Felix and the team had.

Edit:

Stratex: http://www.paragonsdc.com/stratex/

Felix was the first person to go where no man has gone before. Now that it's done, no one cares no more I suppose

 

[ToxicBunny]

Felix was the first person to go where no man has gone before. Now that it's done, no one cares no more I suppose

But Felix wasn't the first person to go where no man has gone before...

 

[Pitbull]

But Felix wasn't the first person to go where no man has gone before...

He was, lots of the things on the jump was a first.

First free fall past the sound barrier for one.

 

[ToxicBunny]

He was, lots of the things on the jump was a first.

First free fall past the sound barrier for one.

True, but most of the ground work was done by Joseph Kittinger back in 1960 when he jumped....

 

[Pitbull]

True, but most of the ground work was done by Joseph Kittinger back in 1960 when he jumped....

I know, the uncertainties regarding the Felix jump is what pushed up the hype so much. Since then, it's just another jump I suppose. Nothing more to expect than a longer free fall

 

[ToxicBunny]

I know, the uncertainties regarding the Felix jump is what pushed up the hype so much. Since then, it's just another jump I suppose. Nothing more to expect than a longer free fall

Personally the hype was pushed by the Red Bull connection and the marketing etc... The jump itself wasn't REALLY that spectacular.

 

[Pitbull]

Personally the hype was pushed by the Red Bull connection and the marketing etc... The jump itself wasn't REALLY that spectacular.

I agree with you. However just thinking back to those threads, the "what will happen when he hits the sound barrier" debate stirred up quite a lot of interest. I do however agree, it was a REDBULL event. We know how they roll

 

[ToxicBunny]

Yeah, the sound barrier part was interesting.. the rest of it, not so much really...

It was of course nice to watch the whole thing being streamed... today it wouldn't really garnet as much attention since streaming things has become so much more commonplace...

 

[Ancalagon]

Lucky he didn't brake his back when he landed.

He must really like speed - I hope the breaks on his car work.