Dude! 25 miles!!!!

[Tigermike 3,651]

French skydiver prepares for record jump from 40km

May 25 10:27 PM US/Eastern

French skydiver Michel Fournier takes his life in his hands when, weather permitting, he leaps from a balloon 40 kilometres (25 miles) above Canada's western plains.

The 64-year-old parachutist said it was his life's dream to make the record jump, which will begin at the outer reaches of the stratosphere -- about four times higher than the cruising altitude of a commercial jet.

Fournier spent Sunday resting and making the final arrangements in the small city of North Battleford, Saskatchewan, from where he will head up into the heavens in a stratospheric balloon and then throw himself off.

He will be wearing a pressurized suit capable of withstanding temperatures of minus 100 degrees Celsius (minus 148 Fahrenheit) as he hurtles to Earth at more than 1,500 kilometers per hour.

If he succeeds, Fournier will actually break four world records: for fastest freefall, longest freefall, highest jump, and highest altitude reached by a man in a balloon. It could also someday lead to rescuing astronauts in-flight.

His team leader, Richard Correa, said the moment just after take-off was the most risky, as it would be impossible to eject during the balloon's ascent.

But if Fournier loses consciousness during the jump, his parachute will automatically open.

The team will decide at 2:30am (0830 GMT) whether the weather conditions are right for the venture, which is estimated to take about three hours in total, in addition to two hours for preparation. Rain was falling late Sunday.

"This project is a great scientific and human challenge," said Fournier, a former military officer. "This is my baby, my dream. I just want to realize my dream."

His latest skydiving attempt, several years in the works, comes after two unsuccessful jumps in 2002 and 2003 and speaks to his determination. His balloon tore the last time, but he bought a new one for this trial.

If all goes well, Fournier is expected to land some 30 kilometers southwest of North Battleford -- chosen for its remote location in case something goes wrong with the balloon -- where a helicopter will be waiting to pick him up.

Before Fournier, in 1960 American Joseph Kittinger jumped from 31,333 meters as part of a medical experiment, and in 1962 Russian Evgueni Andreiev jumped from 24,483 meters to set a world free-fall record.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=08...;show_article=1

[BZ770 2]

That will be a cool jump. I don't understand how they could rescue astronauts by doing this.

[kickinwang 0]

i just heard that as he was getting ready to jump and they were inflating the balloon...the balloon detached from the capsule and drifted away. so no jump now.

and i think the whole "rescuing astronauts" really consisted of him getting data and info from the jump that could help in the developement of last minute rescue measures for astronauts going up. not necessarily someone rescuing them by jumping out of a balloon. but then again, if several 1000 pounds of rocket fuel explodes, there's not much you can do.

[CCTAU 3,429]

i just heard that as he was getting ready to jump and they were inflating the balloon...the balloon detached from the capsule and drifted away. so no jump now.

and i think the whole "rescuing astronauts" really consisted of him getting data and info from the jump that could help in the developement of last minute rescue measures for astronauts going up. not necessarily someone rescuing them by jumping out of a balloon. but then again, if several 1000 pounds of rocket fuel explodes, there's not much you can do.

If we made astronauts fly in Iron Man suits, would this even be a problem?

[abrnfanatc 6]

That will be a cool jump. I don't understand how they could rescue astronauts by doing this.

I thought the same thing reading this. Maybe they mean that astronauts could be rescued by having suits like these available in the shuttle.

[jared52 4,358]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,358336,00.html

No go. I guess they needed better rope.