Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Possible World Record - Skydiver to break sound barrier in freefall from edge of space

A million and one things could go wrong for this mission that has been five years in the making.
Should air pressure get too much and his specially-made US$200,000 suit should malfunction, things could get messy -- very messy.
His blood could boil, his lungs could over inflate and the vessels in his brains could burst.
Felix Baumgartner will jump and freefall 32-km from space. (Red Bull Stratos infographic).Felix Baumgartner will jump and freefall 32-km from space. (Red Bull Stratos infographic).
The project, Red Bull Stratos, aims to stretch human limits to advance scientific and medical understanding in space exploration and human flight.
The mission, which was pushed back by 24 hours to make sure weather conditions were perfect for this maiden mission, will happen tonight, starting at 8pm, Singapore time.
Wearing only his pressurized suit and a parachute, he will pause at the hatch of a tiny capsule as it ascends into space before jumping out.