Red Bull space jump

[Razgovory]

Big deal. I once ate 20 bowls of chili in one setting.

That is pretty risky.

[mongers]

Not offically confirmed gps data show he achieved:

The jump in numbers
Exit altitude: 128,100ft; 39,045m
Total jump duration: 9'03"
Freefall time: 4'20"
Freefall distance 119,846ft; 36,529m
Max velocity: 833.9mph; 1,342.8km/h; Mach 1.24

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19943590

Nearly Mach 1.25, I don't think that was achieved until the early 50s by a piloted aircraft.   

edit:
even later than I thought, he would have beaten the record set in 1955 by and F100 super sabre, before the Fairy Delta took the airspeed record to a new level in 56 by topping 1000 mph.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_airspeed_record

[Malthus]

I wonder - assuming that you could match velocities with the planet, is there anything stopping you from free-falling from any distance in space to earth like this guy? I always sort of assumed you would burn up in the atmosphere on re-entry from the friction with the atmosphere, like a meteor - but of course meteors tend to have have a big veocity already vs. Earth.

[Razgovory]

I wonder - assuming that you could match velocities with the planet, is there anything stopping you from free-falling from any distance in space to earth like this guy? I always sort of assumed you would burn up in the atmosphere on re-entry from the friction with the atmosphere, like a meteor - but of course meteors tend to have have a big veocity already vs. Earth.

Meteors don't burn up because of friction.  It's caused by compressing the gasses in front of the meteor so much they light up.

[Maximus]

I wonder - assuming that you could match velocities with the planet, is there anything stopping you from free-falling from any distance in space to earth like this guy? I always sort of assumed you would burn up in the atmosphere on re-entry from the friction with the atmosphere, like a meteor - but of course meteors tend to have have a big veocity already vs. Earth.

I think that's one of the things this jump was meant to get data on. What happens to the human body when it breaks the sound barrier? What effect does a free-fall-induced adrenaline rush have in a low-pressure environment? Stuff like that.

[Ed Anger]

Big deal. I once ate 20 bowls of chili in one setting.

That is pretty risky.

I was young and foolish once.

[MadImmortalMan]

Dude's 26 year old fiancee is a hottie.

pics?

Here.

[Malthus]

Big deal. I once ate 20 bowls of chili in one setting.

That is pretty risky.

I was young and foolish once.

Talk about burning up from the compressed gasses ...

[Berkut]

Yeah, I always thought things burned up when re-entering the atmosphere. Like spaceships and their ablative shielding and such. Maybe that is just because they are moving much, much faster and are using the atmosphere as a brake?

In other words, a spaceship could re-enter the earth atmosphere without the need for a heat shield if it did not need to use the atmosphere to slow down?

[Razgovory]

Yeah, I always thought things burned up when re-entering the atmosphere. Like spaceships and their ablative shielding and such. Maybe that is just because they are moving much, much faster and are using the atmosphere as a brake?

In other words, a spaceship could re-enter the earth atmosphere without the need for a heat shield if it did not need to use the atmosphere to slow down?

Probably but it would take a lot of fuel.  When you come out of orbit you go really, really fast.  This guy's speed was Mach 1.2, the space shuttle would clock in at about Mach 25.  I guess you could turn an engine to slow your decent, but that would probably be more dangerous and expensive.

[Neil]

In other words, a spaceship could re-enter the earth atmosphere without the need for a heat shield if it did not need to use the atmosphere to slow down?

That's a very common technique in sci-fi where they have reactionless thrusters.  It's not practical for real spaceships, but the theory is sound.  It just requires a gigantic amount of thrust while descending.

[Ed Anger]

Big deal. I once ate 20 bowls of chili in one setting.

That is pretty risky.

I was young and foolish once.

Talk about burning up from the compressed gasses ...

The next day was quite explosive.

[Razgovory]

I got to say things about science that were relevant and true!  Today is a wonderful day!

[dps]

I wonder - assuming that you could match velocities with the planet, is there anything stopping you from free-falling from any distance in space to earth like this guy? I always sort of assumed you would burn up in the atmosphere on re-entry from the friction with the atmosphere, like a meteor - but of course meteors tend to have have a big veocity already vs. Earth.

Well, technically if you exactly matched speed with the planet, you'd just trail along behind it as it orbited the sun, and never actually "fall". But, A) I know that's not exactly what you meant--at least I don't think that's what you meant;  and B) I don't think an orbit like that's stable.

[sbr]

I wonder - assuming that you could match velocities with the planet, is there anything stopping you from free-falling from any distance in space to earth like this guy? I always sort of assumed you would burn up in the atmosphere on re-entry from the friction with the atmosphere, like a meteor - but of course meteors tend to have have a big veocity already vs. Earth.

If you get too far away the earth's gravity will no longer pull you down and you would just float in space.