Skydiver Passes Halfway Point in Quest to Make Highest Jump

[BSB]

Skydiver passes halfway point in quest to make highest jump

The Associated Press
8:19 PM EST March 15, 2012

Skydiving daredevil Felix Baumgartner is more than halfway toward his goal of setting a world record for the highest jump.

Baumgartner lifted off Thursday for a test jump from Roswell, N.M., aboard a 100-foot helium balloon. He rode inside a pressurized capsule to 71,581 feet - 13.6 miles - and then jumped. He parachuted safely, according to project spokeswoman Trish Medalen.

He's aiming for nearly 23 miles this summer. The record is 19.5 miles.
"The view is amazing, way better than I thought," Baumgartner said after the practice jump, in remarks provided by his representatives.

http://news.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?afid=1&aid=46751279

[Xavier_Onassis]

This requires courage and determination and perhaps a lack of good sense.

Eventually there will be two records: one for those who hit the ground alive, and another for those who died along the descent.

I suppose that we could calculate how long it would take to reach the ground only without a chute. Once there is a chute involved, there are many more variables.

[Plane]

   This is a longstanding record.


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

[Xavier_Onassis]

They could also have a record for the largest "splay", or area covered by a suicidal jumper.

The jumpers would be mostly naked for maximum dispersal, and no parachute would be required. The larger for jumper's body, the greater the "splay".

Currently, there are no opportunities for suicidal individuals to earn a world record.