Felix Baumgartner just moved a step closer to his goal to be the first skydiver to jump from the edges of outer space. He will also be the first skydiver to break the speed of sound outside of an airplane.
Red Bull Stratos has been funding the project. It all starts with the space suit. One has to be designed which will withstand the temperature and rigors of the jump, and this is no little feat.
The air at that temperature is -70 Celsius meaning that if his skin became exposed to the air his blood would literally boil.
Art Thompson, a team technical director said in an interview that the vacuum tests the Red Bull team just finished in Texas have moved them to the final phase of preparations for the jump.
He said,
“The test in the chamber was a decisive moment for us. It’s as close as you can get to the near space conditions without leaving earth. We were able to verify our equipment and now we’re moving on to plan the first manned test flights,”
Baumgartner said.
“This test was enormously important for our self-confidence. The success has given us an additional boost to rise to the challenges that still lie ahead,”
While the record jump is very important to the Red Bull team and to Baumgartner the real goal is to help advance science. The jump and suit will provide tons of data which can be used to help astronauts and space tourists throughout the world.
The suit itself is being designed by the same company that designed the suit, David Clark Company, designed the original suits for the World War II paratroopers that had to jump from really high altitudes.
Do you think Baumgartner is going to be successful is his pursuit?
See this video about the Red Bull Stratos Project
