For daredevil, sky's the limit
By JERI CLAUSING
(Associated Press)
Red Bull Stratos via associated press
A balloon ascends during the second manned test for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, N.M., on July 25.
ROSWELL, N.M. - Skydiver Felix Baumgartner's attempt at the highest, fastest free fall in history today is more than just a stunt.His planned 23-mile dive from the stratosphere should provide scientists with valuable information for next-generation spacesuits and techniques that could help astronauts survive accidents.Jumping from more than three times the height of the average cruising altitude for jetliners, Mr. Baumgartner hopes to become the first person to break the sound barrier outside of an airplane. His team has calculated that to be 690 mph based on the altitude of his dive.His medical director, Dr. Jonathan Clark, a NASA space shuttle crew surgeon who lost his wife, Laurel Clark, in the 2003 Challenger accident, said no one knows what happens to a body when it breaks the sound barrier."That is really the scientific essence of this mission," said Dr. Clark, who is dedicated to improving astronauts' chances of survival in a high-altitude disaster.Dr. Clark told reporters Monday he expects Mr. Baumgartner's pressurized spacesuit to protect him. If all goes well and he survives the death-defying jump, NASA could certify a new generation of spacesuits for protecting astronauts, and provide an escape option from spacecraft at 120,000 feet.Currently, spacesuits are certified to protect astronauts to 100,000 feet, the level reached by Joe Kittinger in 1960 when he set the current free-fall record by jumping from an open gondola 19.5 miles high. Mr. Kittinger's speed of 614 mph was just shy of breaking the sound barrier at that altitude.But whether Mr. Baumgartner, a 43-year-old Austrian military parachutist and extreme athlete, can attempt the jump depends on New Mexico's unpredictable weather. Winds from a cold front already delayed things a day. The jump can be made only if ground winds are less than 2 mph.At midday Monday, the team remained optimistic for liftoff. The best window for the week is today and Wednesday, before another front is expected to move in.Mr. Baumgartner is to be lifted into the stratosphere beginning around 9 a.m. Red Bull has been promoting a live Internet stream of the event at , but there will be a 20-second delay.Balloon basics- What's the balloon made of?Strips of plastic film that are 0.0008 inches thick, or thinner than a Ziploc bag. If laid flat, this plastic would cover 40 acres.- Who made it?ATA Aerospace of Albuquerque. Company officials said they were not authorized by Red Bull Stratos, which is funding the jump, to talk to the media. A fact sheet says it is designed after previous balloons used for more than 60 years on high-altitude flights.- What are the risks?Helium balloons can easily be torn by the wind, so the launch will not take place unless wind speeds are less than 2 mph.- Was it tested?No. Balloons of this type are so delicate that once out of the box they must be used immediately. The launch crew must wear clothing that can't snag it. Handlers must wear cotton gloves. Balloons used in test jumps were similar but smaller because they didn't have to go as high.- How big is it?It can hold nearly 30 million cubic feet of helium.- How long is the ascent?2½ to 3 hours.- What happens to the balloon afterward?It will be separated from the capsule and parachute to Earth.