Skydiver Set For Record Breaking Jump From Edge Of Space

MASONCOUNTYDAILYNEWS.COMJuly 24, 2012(ROSWELL, New Mexico) -- It seems appropriate that Roswell, ground zero for UFO hunters, is hosting the mission to the edge of space -- because the sight of daredevil Felix Baumgartner diving back to Earth from 90,000 feet will certainly spark new UFO conspiracy theories.Baumgartner will go from zero to perhaps 509 mph in 30 seconds when he steps out of his space capsule Tuesday morning. He hit 365 mph when he jumped from 71,000 feet in March -- and he will go supersonic in August when he dives from 120,000 feet. That's zero to 690 mph in 25 seconds -- a human body breaking the sound barrier without an airplane. Most people go to the edge of space or beyond in a rocket -- Baumgartner is going up in a capsule carried aloft by a huge helium balloon.Most of us would never willingly step out of an airplane to skydive from 3,000 feet. So you have to wonder why Felix Baumgartner does this. He knows the risks and says he accepts the danger. He canceled an attempt Monday morning because of high winds.Weather is critical because the massive balloon is fragile and tears easily; it can't launch with winds in excess of 4 mph or under heavy cloud cover. Meteorologist Don Day also needs to consider where winds will push Baumgartner when he lands -- preferably not in the mountains west of the launch site."The pressure is huge, and we not only have to endure but excel," he said. "We're excellently prepared, but it's never going to be a fun day, I'm risking my life, after all."Red Bull is financing this daredevil skydive from space, dubbed Stratos. Five years of planning by a team of experts, many volunteering their services, to break several records in one breathtaking plunge back to Earth: * First person to break the sound barrier outside of an aircraft. * Record for freefall from the highest altitude. * Longest freefall time -- expected five minutes 35 seconds. * Highest manned balloon flight.READ ENTIRE ARTICLE

Categories: aerobie, aliens, parachuting