Rawns Posted March 16, 2012 Posted March 16, 2012 BBC News - Skydiver Felix Baumgartner on track for super jump I may sound a bit 'Karl Pilkington' but I can't understand why people/companies are pumping all this money and time into this project just so this bloke can float into the sky in a balloon and then fall back to the ground. What are they going to gain from the experience? The knowledge that man falls fast and it's cold higher up? Seems like a waste of time and money...
DrPerceptron Posted March 16, 2012 Posted March 16, 2012 It's all about science, engineering and understanding the world we live in... granted it's not on the level of CERN , but there's still something slightly wonderful. What was the point in going to the moon or creating the ISS? Why bother exploring the bottom of the ocean? You want to test materials to the extreme, otherwise, why would you bother creating new ones when they'll be vastly more expensive initially? Red Bull have seemingly unlimited pockets, it's often a struggle to find someone who isn't sponsored by Red Bull these days - hell I know of a student here who is.
plexer Posted March 16, 2012 Posted March 16, 2012 I guess these really high jumps and equipment very much like a spacesuit adds data for such things as escape pods/techniques for future space vehicle emergencies? Ben
Flatpackhamster Posted March 16, 2012 Posted March 16, 2012 The same reason that you give for climbing a mountain, for going to the bottom of the oceans, and for going to the Moon. Because it's there.
Rawns Posted March 16, 2012 Author Posted March 16, 2012 I get the whole point of exploring and discovering new things like space or the sea, there is lots to learn and discover in those areas, but this thing seems to be a bit of a wymsical . As far as I can tell, they don't appear to be testing anything new like space protection suites or materials. And I'm not too sure what they could learn from this either. It's not like people often fall seven miles. I am curious though as to why Red Bull are sponsoring a pupil. Do they have to wear a Red Bull branded uniform?
Flatpackhamster Posted March 16, 2012 Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) I get the whole point of exploring and discovering new things like space or the sea, there is lots to learn and discover in those areas, but this thing seems to be a bit of a wymsical . As far as I can tell, they don't appear to be testing anything new like space protection suites or materials. And I'm not too sure what they could learn from this either. It's not like people often fall seven miles. Why do people surf? Why do they run naked through a field of flowers? Why create ten thousand different styles of shoe? I find the idea that we shouldn't do stuff unless it's got a purpose fundamentally at odds with human nature. That's not how we're built. More whimsy, please. Red Bull sponsor it because they sponsor lots of 'extreme' stuff. Edited March 16, 2012 by Flatpackhamster
sonofsanta Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Hesitant as I am to revive such a pessimistic thread on the topic... the jump is this afternoon, should be around half four our time if all goes well. Personally I think it's fascinating - a human body has never broken Mach 1 before on its own, so the results could be life-saving for fast jet pilots and astronauts for the future. Hopefully I'll be in a position to appreciate the research myself at some point - not necessarily directly, but knowing that if my space tourist flight goes wrong, I'll be ok at the end of it! Plus the YouTube video will be awesome
X-13 Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 "Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that." -George Carlin 2
mattx Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 This man has Balls [ huge ones ] so lets give him some credit.
Rawns Posted October 9, 2012 Author Posted October 9, 2012 This man has Balls [ huge ones ] so lets give him some credit. Wont they affect his free-fall speed?
DeltaBravo Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 I think this is truly amazing and inspirational; He is doing something no one has ever done before! As Steve Jobs said: "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." I'm sure if there was something you really wanted to do you would find a way to achieve it. To some people it may seem amazing and others may find it stupid, that’s life because if everyone agreed we'd live in a perfect world.
aerospacemango Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Looks more like half one, our time.... I shall be keeping an eye on this too.... Will be fascinating to watch...
sonofsanta Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 I think half one may be when the balloon launches (was meant to be 1300 GMT) but it'll take him 2-2½ hours to ascend
X-13 Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Wont they affect his free-fall speed? Nope. The Universal Law of Gravitation.
TechMonkey Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Just to add to the original part of the thread the suit he is wearing is apparently either all experimental or parts are with a view to creating an escape suit for astronauts. I think the whole thing will be a mixture of things. He wants to do it because why not. Then companies will tag on, partly for advertising and to show they are hip, cool and edgy but also to try stuff out. So the testing isn't the reason but it will be in there. There's also the medical data on a human breaking the sound barrier. Will he turn to mush, will his body handle it?
SYNACK Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 It will be epic there are many applications for this in medical, aeronautical and materials tech. Atmospheric jumping has been floating around is Star Trek for ages. Imagine if the Astronauts in the damaged shuttle had been able to push it into a higher orbit and just jump out. How about escape from the ISS if the escape pod was damaged. Sure this assumes a world where people are still at least trying for space but thanks to corporate endeavours the embers will keep going, perhaps enough to make some progress. Sure it's cool that they have a giant nuclear powered RC car on Mars but how much cooler would it be if there were people there too. Think of the mass and acceleration limits that humans impose, if you know they can just jump out at the far end to drop in to the previously constructed base it saves tonnes of fuel and hassel. Sure the Martian atmosphere is a bit thin for parachutes but for the limited mass of a human it may well do, if not little rocket hoists like the curiosity ones may work and again be much more efficient. The heavy and more robust stuff like base hardware could be dropped at much higher G loads saving huge amounts of mass and fuel. Long story short, it could be very useful.
SYNACK Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Looks like it has been delayed for weather, next launch time is about an hour from now.
sonofsanta Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Beaten to it! It's only a half hour delay from the plan so hopefully nothing too significant.
SYNACK Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Beaten to it! It's only a half hour delay from the plan so hopefully nothing too significant. I think it's just wind at the proposed landing site that this the issue according to the news here yay 2:30am jump
sonofsanta Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 I think it's just wind at the proposed landing site that this the issue according to the news here yay 2:30am jump Pushed back to 1400 GMT now (1500 UK time). That's the launch time as well, the jump itself will be 2-2½ hours later. So do I work late to see it, or dare to try and leave on time and hope traffic is kind to see it at home...
SYNACK Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Pushed back to 1400 GMT now (1500 UK time). That's the launch time as well, the jump itself will be 2-2½ hours later. So do I work late to see it, or dare to try and leave on time and hope traffic is kind to see it at home... Poo, Should I stay up or go to sleep and wake up early to watch it. I'll probably end up watching it on youtube or the news. Silly wind, or should I say 'foul wind' . 1
Earthling Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Personally, I think it's great, can't wait to see the footage. Just one thing bothers me. Why Roswell? I mean, I know it's the New Mexico desert and he's not liable to land on anything or anyone, but .....why Roswell? Why not White Sands or Area 51.........why Roswell, with all it's (alleged) history of stuff falling from space? Just asking.......
X-13 Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 why Roswell, with all it's (alleged) history of stuff falling from space? That's probably the exact reason they're doing it there.
SYNACK Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Personally, I think it's great, can't wait to see the footage. Just one thing bothers me. Why Roswell? I mean, I know it's the New Mexico desert and he's not liable to land on anything or anyone, but .....why Roswell? Why not White Sands or Area 51.........why Roswell, with all it's (alleged) history of stuff falling from space? Just asking....... Epic theme continuation, really what makes it more appealing to the media, illegal alien lands in Roswell. Stuff like that sells and pleasing the populous of IQ<90 and keeping the funding rolling in.
Earthling Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Maybe he's really an E.T. and really, he's trying to go home and the parachute is a fail-safe in case the intergalactic worm-hole-portal-star-trek-beam-me-up-scotty thing doesn't work or open. Or if it does open, but his return ticket's expired. I mean, where I live, you can't even get back from London on the train if your ticket's out of date. Just saying......
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