k&r

Maybe he got body slammed by breaking the sound barrier.

I love it when science makes a discovery. This could lead to a suit designed to encapsulate the diver from a shockwave.

I'm assuming the shockwave would be less powerful the thinner the atmosphere is..?

Like I say, I'm waiting for the interview.

The technology involved boggles the mind when we consider that the Wrights were trying to sell their basic "flyer" in Europe just 100 years ago.

He did not make it unfortunately. He cracked his visor on the gondola as he was going to jump and his suit depressurized. Every fluid in his body must have instantly started to boil.

But it was Joseph Kittinger who set the record in 1960 that Baumgartner beat today. He was mission controller for baumgartner today.

Imagine doing this in the 60s. You're basically a guinea pig.

The guy lives up to his name.



Thank you, Lars77! This wonderful story is a marvel to treasure.

If you were traveling at 720+ mph close to the surface of the Earth, the wind would tear your arms and legs off. Where he jumped from, there isn't enough atmosphere to rip you to shreds. Also the sound barrier is a component of air pressure. So when he "broke the sound barrier" the resulting shock wave would have been minimal, (if there was one at all). Not like here at ground level and a military jet blows out the windows of buildings and such. I think the biggest risk is the lack of atmospheric pressure at the heights he was at. Very dangerous stuff. Well, that, and the possibility of his chute not opening...