Red Bull Stratos Near Space Jump

[♠SARKID♠]

Felix Baumgartner will be attempting his near space freefall dive today.  Broadcast starts 1700(Z).  Should be awesome!

http://www.redbullstratos.com/live

[♠SARKID♠]

45 minutes to launch.

[A.Member]

This is truly amazing.  I wish him well.

[Walkman]

Gah! Launch aborted for today.

[lordmonar]

looks liked the aborted for today.

[Cool Mace]

Big let down for today. Let's hope it works out for tomorrow.

[a2capt]

It was sitting there so nice and then the trademark NM wind said "no, not today. Poof."

[♠SARKID♠]

What a shame.

[NIN]

It was sitting there so nice and then the trademark NM wind said "no, not today. Poof."

I'm surprised the Meteorology guy gave his "go" for that launch.  After a 5 hr delay, anybody with *any* knowledge of ballooning should be aware that the winds tend to *increase* during the day as the sun heats the atmosphere, which is why balloonists *generally* don't fly during the day.  A couple hrs after sunrise and a couple hrs before sunset are usually ideal ballooning conditions from a "launch & recovery" standpoint.

The worst part is, after you commit to filling the balloon, you're stuck.  The balloon is not reusable and it is easily damaged. They have a 2nd envelope, but still.  You start to fill it, you're committed to throwing that envelope away either on the runway or downrange after the flight.

The winds an hour before they started the webcast were "Calm" according to the AWOS/METAR. (that "calm" may have been "calm per the AWOS anemometer on the airfield, but not calm per our highly sensitive ballooning instruments," so surely YMMV)  The TAF, however, claimed that the forecast winds were 9kts and climbing as the day went on.  I would not have committed to launch in the face of that forecast with a max ground wind limit of 4mph.  Guess thats why I'm not a weather guesser.

[a2capt]

That surprised me too,  having flown into Roswell several times, I found the best time to be within an hour of Sunset, if it wasn't a stormy afternoon and it sure made for the mornings to be a nice time to leave before getting your butt kicked by density altitude.

[Flying Pig]

You know....  I just cant get excited about it.  This was done higher, 50 years ago.  Problem is, nobody (in regular society) knows anything about Kittenger.  Video will be way cool though.  but the event itself doesnt do anything for me. 

[A.Member]

You know....  I just cant get excited about it.  This was done higher, 50 years ago.  Problem is, nobody (in regular society) knows anything about Kittenger.  Video will be way cool though.  but the event itself doesnt do anything for me.

Um, no, it wasn't.  And everyone following the story knows about Kittinger...he's Baumgartner's advisor!

[Critical AOA]

Yep, Kittinger did it from 19 miles compared to Baumgartner's planned 23 miles.  Still, with the advances in technology and all over the years (1959 vs. 2012), I would still give Kittinger more credit.  Either way, my highest ever jump of 14,500' (2.75 miles) pales in comparison though I thought I was a bad arse at the time.

[A.Member]

Yep, Kittinger did it from 19 miles compared to Baumgartner's planned 23 miles.  Still, with the advances in technology and all over the years (1959 vs. 2012), I would still give Kittinger more credit.  Either way, my highest ever jump of 14,500' (2.75 miles) pales in comparison though I thought I was a bad arse at the time.

I take nothing from Kittinger's jump at all.  If anything, the fact that his record has stood this long is testament to just how great it a feat it was.  The dude is a stud and I hear he owns a very large wheelbarrow.

[NIN]

I take nothing from Kittinger's jump at all.  If anything, the fact that his record has stood this long is testament to just how great it a feat it was.  The dude is a stud and I hear he owns a very large wheelbarrow.

I have met him, and can attest to this fact.  And that he has a nice "polished wood and chromed metal" one for formal events.

[NIN]

Either way, my highest ever jump of 14,500' (2.75 miles) pales in comparison though I thought I was a bad arse at the time.

Two at 21,000 for me. Quick check of the logbook reveals 772 over 10, 500 (2 miles, give or take)

But 120,000? Yeahhhhh..

A Facebook friend said "Felix didn't like the spot and asked for a go-around."

[NIN]

Supposedly on for tomorrow morning.

[NIN]

Correction. Sunday, 0800 EDT.

[Huey Driver]

Watching right now - http://www.redbullstratos.com/live/

[tsrup]

Running through egress checklist now,

Now's the time to tune in folks if you haven't already.