The stars at night are big and bright...

The stars at night are big and bright...
The stars at night are big and bright...

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

I thought it gave you wings?



CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –  The countdown is on for skydiver Felix Baumgartner. In just two weeks, the Austrian parachutist will attempt to go supersonic when he jumps from a record altitude of 23 miles (37 kilometers) over the U.S.

Baumgartner expects to reach a top speed of 690 mph (1,110 kph) and break the sound barrier with only his body.

Project managers announced Tuesday the attempt will take place Oct. 8, a delay from August.


"I feel like a tiger in a cage waiting to get out," Baumgartner, 43, said in a statement.

He jumped from 18 miles (29 kilometers) in July. This time, he hopes to break the all-time record of 19.5 miles (31 kilometers) set in 1960.

The effort is privately funded by the energy drink maker Red Bull. One team leader is record-holder Joe Kittinger, who was a U.S. Air Force captain when he took part in the record-setting military high-jump project decades ago.




1 comment:

an Donalbane said...

I'd want one of those chemical heat packs in my drawers to prevent, uh, frostbite, where one doesn't want to get frost-bit.

Seems like the Mach+ thing could give a heckuva headache...