Base Jumping from the stratosphere

Tim

Creative Writer

Fast forward to 6:14 on this video for an amazing base jump from the stratosphere by a renowned test pilot, Joe Kittinger

Red Bull were running something to match it with athlete Felix Baumgartner to at least 120,000 feet above the earth, to the very edge of Space.

From there, he will attempt a stratospheric free fall jump - the longest in the history of man - and hopefully will become the first human to break the speed of sound with his own body.

This is a mission to overcome limits which have existed for almost fifty years, ever since the heroic achievement of the young US Air Force test pilot, Joe Kittinger, with his 1960 Excelsior mission.

Red Bull Stratos will attempt to make history and deliver valuable learnings for medical and scientific advancement that will aid the exploration of space in future years.

For more information, visit http://www.redbullstratos.com/

 
not to be too technical but base jumping requires a base to jump from, not a moving item.
this was more like parachuting/freefall

The thrill of a base jump is the short distance you have to pull the chute in time.
The higher the base the less the thrill
 
True, semantics is a difficult subject. But I would consider a balloon such as he was in, at that height, as the only stable landmass available. The jump is therefore classed as some form of ludicrous feat of endurance, physical and mental, therefore with a little artistic flair, I think using "base" in there qualifies for a pant wetting type event on at least a similar grade.

Anyone know if Kittinger passed out multiple times on the way down from physical or mental stresses? Does it really matter? I'm actually wondering whether it was heart attacks, rather than just passing out. His heart actually stopping then restarting as he tried to do something that maybe only the men in white coats in the labs could describe, and even then, in such horrific numbers that to actually contemplate, and then carry out something like this, is truly worthy of note :smiley:
 
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