Felix Baumgartner No Big Deal

fasttalkerchat

When this was on TV I thought it was just because of the sponsorship and something lighthearted to fill the news with.
But, people took it seriously, I didn't realise I'm the only one who thought it was nothing special. People skydive all the time, skydiving from a lower altitude is actually harder than a higher altitude.
Okay, he broke a world record. But, there was no scientific or human achievement like the Moon or Mars landings.

T-K-O

I thought it was a big deal until I found out some guy made the same jump 20/30 years ago.

With the technology available today his jump was a walk in the park

shedweller

Yea, Its up there with events of 2012

T-K-O wrote: »

I thought it was a big deal until I found out some guy made the same jump 20/30 years ago.

With the technology available today his jump was a walk in the park

Ya reckon? :rolleyes:

fasttalkerchat

Boringgggg...

T-K-O wrote: »

I thought it was a big deal until I found out some guy made the same jump 20/30 years ago.

With the technology available today his jump was a walk in the park

His suit was nowhere near as good so he nearly died... pretty much anyone could do the jump... the suit was the achievement.

T-K-O

shedweller wrote: »

Ya reckon? :rolleyes:

:rolleyes: Compared to the original jump, yes :rolleyes:

Xavi6

It registered a massive 'meh' on my level of interest scale.

T-K-O

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

His suit was nowhere near as good so he nearly died... pretty much anyone could do the jump... the suit was the achievement.

It takes a lotta balls to make that jump but like I said, less impressive when some dude makes the same jump in the 60/70's

shedweller

Yea, Its up there with events of 2012

T-K-O wrote: »

It takes a lotta balls to make that jump but like I said, less impressive when some dude makes the same jump in the 60/70's

In fairness, that is true. We haven't really advanced a whole lot since then. Sure, we have a lot of cool gadgets now but i don't see any interstellar spaceships floating about!

Maybe it's because our lives are pitifully short, maybe it's because we are broke paying propping up failed banks etc.
In an ideal world............(wishful thinking!)

T-K-O

shedweller wrote: »

In fairness, that is true. We haven't really advanced a whole lot since then. Sure, we have a lot of cool gadgets now but i don't see any interstellar spaceships floating about!

Maybe it's because our lives are pitifully short, maybe it's because we are broke paying propping up failed banks etc.
In an ideal world............(wishful thinking!)

I'd settle for a hover board

Let us compare a computer processor from the 60's to 00' - now that's progression.

NASA came up with a new suit (with go faster stripes)

Diageio_Man

Boringgggg...

red bull are some marketing company in fairness.

fasttalkerchat

Boringgggg...

Diageio_Man wrote: »

red bull are some marketing company in fairness.

Yourselves are pretty sharp too!

iDave

Not really, but nice to watch

Mars landings. When did this happen?

fred funk }{

Thought it was very impressive TBH. The documentary was on a couple of weeks ago and it was a great watch. Made me realise just how awesome the whole thing was.

It takes balls of steel to do something like that and it's certainly not something some of the keyboard warriors in here would attempt.

LuckyLloyd

Not really, but nice to watch

Dude does a free fall from the stratosphere and breaks the speed of sound on the way down. People on the Internet go 'meh'. Good lads.

seven_eleven

Boringgggg...

It's not really that impressive when you look at this and see that he didnt jump from that much of a height at all. People had you almost believing he was in bloody space with the way they talked. And of course, the fish eye camera to make it look like the earth was smaller :rolleyes:

(He jumped from 39km height)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Atmosphere_layers-en.svg

Maximus Alexander

Boringgggg...

seven_eleven wrote: »

It's not really that impressive when you look at this and see that he didnt jump from that much of a height at all. People had you almost believing he was in bloody space with the way they talked. And of course, the fish eye camera to make it look like the earth was smaller :rolleyes:

(He jumped from 39km height)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Atmosphere_layers-en.svg

Yep, he wasn't even half way to "space".

I wasn't particularly impressed. Sure, it took balls of steel to do the jump, but there are plenty of people out there with enough balls if they had the opportunity.

shedweller

Yea, Its up there with events of 2012

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Yep, he wasn't even half way to "space".

I wasn't particularly impressed. Sure, it took balls of steel to do the jump, but there are plenty of people out there with enough balls if they had the opportunity.

Agreed there. Theres plenty out there would go in a spaceship to mars if they were let too. Even on a one way trip. I know i would! Does that make a manned mars trip less amazing?

ChopShop

I also am far too smart to be remotely impressed by these events.

shedweller

Yea, Its up there with events of 2012

wernstrom! wrote: »

I also am far too smart to be remotely impressed by these events.

What might impress you then?

Maximus Alexander

Boringgggg...

shedweller wrote: »

Agreed there. Theres plenty out there would go in a spaceship to mars if they were let too. Even on a one way trip. I know i would! Does that make a manned mars trip less amazing?

No, because a manned Mars trip is hard to do. A balloon is not.

How you can compare the two is beyond me.

sbsquarepants

Not really, but nice to watch

seven_eleven wrote: »

It's not really that impressive when you look at this and see that he didnt jump from that much of a height at all. People had you almost believing he was in bloody space with the way they talked. And of course, the fish eye camera to make it look like the earth was smaller :rolleyes:

(He jumped from 39km height)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Atmosphere_layers-en.svg

Seems quite high to me.
I do kinda see what you mean though - if the whole thing was scaled down so that the earth was the size of a classroom globe - then he jumped from roughly 1mm above the surface. It's still quite an achievement though, but more down to the suit than the man.
Put it this way - the suit could do it without felix - felix couldn't do it without the suit!

shedweller

Yea, Its up there with events of 2012

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

No, because a manned Mars trip is hard to do. A balloon is not.

How you can compare the two is beyond me.

I'm actually not, really. A manned mars trip is obviously more complicated. But the main reason every second skydiver isn't jumping from 128,000 feet is the cost of it.
But the assertion that the jump was boring because anyone could or would do it is wrong, or weak. On the basis that out of those that would do it, a significant percentage would go to space.

kraggy

T-K-O wrote: »

I thought it was a big deal until I found out some guy made the same jump 20/30 years ago.

With the technology available today his jump was a walk in the park

No he didn't do the same jump.

He jumped from a lower altitude thus didn't incur the risk of breaking the sound barrier.

0ph0rce0

Not really, but nice to watch

I'm more impressed that his surname sounds a little like BUM GARDENER

Dempsey

Yea, Its up there with events of 2012

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Yep, he wasn't even half way to "space".

I wasn't particularly impressed. Sure, it took balls of steel to do the jump, but there are plenty of people out there with enough balls if they had the opportunity.

People have tried to break Kittinger's records before, they died. You need a certain skillset to perform that jump, balls of steel isnt enough.

Maximus Alexander

Boringgggg...

Dempsey wrote: »

People have tried to break Kittinger's records before, they died. You need a certain skillset to perform that jump, balls of steel isnt enough.

If it's so impressive in its own right, why lie about it and describe it as a jump from space?

Dempsey

Yea, Its up there with events of 2012

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

If it's so impressive in its own right, why lie about it and describe it as a jump from space?

It was advertised as a jump from the edge of space

shedweller

Yea, Its up there with events of 2012

Because it sounds good?

Maximus Alexander

Boringgggg...

shedweller wrote: »

I'm actually not, really. A manned mars trip is obviously more complicated. But the main reason every second skydiver isn't jumping from 128,000 feet is the cost of it.
But the assertion that the jump was boring because anyone could or would do it is wrong, or weak. On the basis that out of those that would do it, a significant percentage would go to space.

I wouldn't be impressed with a manned mission to Mars on the basis that the astronauts are incredible. I would be impressed with it due to the complexity, organisation and monumental effort that would be required by all of the thousands of people involved, in order to pull it off. Not to mention the will, the technology and the resources.

It would stand as a testament to human achievement, and dwarf even the moon landings.

Jumping out a balloon in a fancy suit isn't even the same sport.

Maximus Alexander

Boringgggg...

shedweller wrote: »

Because it sounds good?

Precisely, because what it actually is, doesn't sound good.

ringadingding

I'm not gonna lie, I was glued to it, thought it was awesome.
And for some reason I can't work out I got a bit emotional watching it.

Gwan felix ya good tingya

sbsquarepants

Not really, but nice to watch

Dempsey wrote: »

People have tried to break Kittinger's records before, they died. You need a certain skillset to perform that jump, balls of steel isnt enough.

I've got my doubts about that.
I'd say it is entirely possible to throw a mannequin or a dead body out of a balloon with an altimeter to open the parachute and more or less recreate this jump. Do you honestly think that if felix had passed out through spinning, or just plain panic that he would have just hit the ground like a bag of bricks? The only thing that could have stumped him was a fault in the equipment, either the suit or the chute or whatever.
As has been mentioned the only reason that a hundred adrenaline junkies aren't doing this day in day out is that it cost $10m.

Edit - the guy who died trying the jump, did so because his visor opened either by a mistake or a fault - ie a material failure. He passed out and was parachuted "safely" back to earth - it was oxygen deprivation, and pressure effects that killed him AFAIK

sbsquarepants

Not really, but nice to watch

Also, i don't want to come over all gay and shít - but am i the only one who was shocked by how good looking this felix character is. I was expecting some grizzled old army vet or something - the guy looks like a fúcking movie star or something!!

Maximus Alexander

Boringgggg...

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Also, i don't want to come over all gay and shít - but am i the only one who was shocked by how good looking this felix character is. I was expecting some grizzled old army vet or something - the guy looks like a fúcking movie star or something!!

Of course he does, they're not going to pick an ugly git as the star of a marketing campaign.

nobby grande

Not really, but nice to watch

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

When this was on TV I thought it was just because of the sponsorship and something lighthearted to fill the news with.
But, people took it seriously, I didn't realise I'm the only one who thought it was nothing special. People skydive all the time, skydiving from a lower altitude is actually harder than a higher altitude.
Okay, he broke a world record. But, there was no scientific or human achievement like the Moon or Mars landings.

Classic case of 21st century information overload. You can't see the wood for the trees OP. This jump was signifigant for scientific AND human achievements.

It tooks balls of steel, the risk of death was immense = human achievment

New technology was roadtested in an amazingly dangerous enviornment which will lead to greater advancement in space travel - scientific achievment

The spirit of adventure is alive and well, and i for one am delighted there are people like Felix doing these events.

But yeah you're right, nothing special, lets watch a cat playing the keyboard.

martomcg

Yea, Its up there with events of 2012

I'm shocked that so many people don't care about this or play down what he did.

He broke the sound barrier in a pressure suit and a helmet. He reached 833.9mph.

Kittinger's jump was impressive but he only reached 614mph.

The max speed (terminal velocity) of a typical skydiver is about 124mph.

I suppose it was easy for Felix to travel over 200mph faster than Kittinger and surely anyone can just jump in a pressure suit and do it.

GTFO

--Kaiser--

Not really, but nice to watch

T-K-O wrote: »

I thought it was a big deal until I found out some guy made the same jump 20/30 years ago.

With the technology available today his jump was a walk in the park

Obviously what Kittinger did was more impressive but it was far from a walk in the park. Apart from having the balls to jump that high up, there's the issue that if he fell wrong he could have gone into a spin of hundreds of RPM, which would have killed him. That's apart from all other difficulties around heating, pressurisation, prevalent winds etc....

Your post shows a lack of understanding of the perils involved

GLaDOS

Not really, but nice to watch

Fastest speed achieved by a human ever without mechanical propulsion, excuse me if I'm a little impressed.

Plazaman

Not really, but nice to watch

Pffftt, Kittengers jump was only from a mere 102,000 whereas Baumgartner jumped from 128,000 feet...... *cough

I for one though it was magnificent. Yes there would be more people that would be able to make that jump but they are amongst a handful of elite people in the world that would be in the same vein as astronauts.

The training Baumgartner put in in itself is enough to impress me even if he didn't jump. It takes not only balls but extreme physical agility and acute mental awareness to pull out of a vicious spin like he endured on the way down (some of the 'Meh' keyboard warriors probably get quesy spinning in their computer chairs to reach for their Cheesy Wotsits).

IMO to do something that no one in the history of the World has ever done deserved a "WOW!".

smash

Plazaman wrote: »

It takes not only balls but extreme physical agility and acute mental awareness

And a million dollar space suit. Don't forget the suit.

Fizman

wernstrom! wrote: »

I also am far too smart to be remotely impressed by these events.

Yet you're a mod for 'Celebrity & Showbiz' and 'Transformers'.

Right.

Maximus Alexander

Boringgggg...

Fizman wrote: »

Yet you're a mod for 'Celebrity & Showbiz' and 'Transformers'.

Right.

Hobbies define intelligence.

Right.

Real Life

Not really, but nice to watch

Anyone who hasnt seen it should look at the bbc documentary made about it. an hour and a half long but very good. so much went wrong in the four year lead up to it.

Wibbs

Boringgggg...

sbsquarepants wrote: »

dit - the guy who died trying the jump, did so because his visor opened either by a mistake or a fault - ie a material failure. He passed out and was parachuted "safely" back to earth - it was oxygen deprivation, and pressure effects that killed him AFAIK

Yep pretty much. Nick Piantanida was his name. He had balls. Baumgartner had millions in sponsorship, a big team and the best facilities over three years to get used to a (tailored for him)pressure suit, much improved technology and the advantage that others had been up there before. And still he stormed off in a huff to get hypnotherapy to settle his nerves(and arsed about with the team who had worked so hard for him). He came across as a bit of a petulant fecker IMH.

Compare that to the sad tale of Nick Piantanida in the 60's who died on his third attempt as tried to beat the record on a shoestring budget in a glorified portaloo and a loaned suit. With feck all ground support by comparison. Joe Kittinger's jump was a bit of a lash up too and pretty hastily put together, in 1960 remember. Joe did it to help fellow pilots and he did it not having a clue what might happen.

By comparison Baumgartner was "spam in a can". Spam that fogged up the visor from heavy breathing but blamed the visor heating. Plus short of equipment failure he wouldn't have died from high G spinning as he had a built in drogue chute that would trigger before it got near fatal. Yes it took balls, but for me anyway most of his base jumping stuff took more. No way would I jump off buildings and cliffs by chute like he did, but if I was given the chance to do a stratjump? in a bloody heartbeat.

On top of that, check out oul Felix' political views. Suffice to say I'd rather not godwin the thread this early in the morning...

Wibbs

Boringgggg...

PS it doesn't come within an asses roar of the Apollo missions for scale of balls, science or technology or simply moving humanity forward. Not in the ball park, not even the same feckin sport. Comparing that to the moon landings is beyond daft IMHO. It doesn't even compare to humans landing yet another rover on mars this year.

Funglegunk

Not really, but nice to watch

I was only mildly interested in the jump in the same way I would watch an F1 race hoping for some crashes. Soon after sitting down to watch it though, I was glued to the screen. Probably the most riveting, exciting piece of live television I've ever watched.

Plazaman

Not really, but nice to watch

smash wrote: »

And a million dollar space suit. Don't forget the suit.

The suit may be heated and pressurised but it's not like there was a jet pack or thrusters or anything mechanical on it to help him get out of a death spin, that was all done by the brute physical work by Felix. He had to stay calm and work fast. Ya can't beat the possibility or a burst eyeball to focus your actions.

As millions watched in horror on the internet, freefall experts immediately recognised the danger that Baumgartner was in as he began to spin laterally, his head and feet rotating around his centre.

Risks as he turned through the air from 128,000ft, included anything from a headache, shortness of breath, and vision failure to mental confusion, unconsciousness.

Another result could have been burst eyeballs—this occurs when pressures exceeding -4 G's build up in the skull and blood and spinal fluid are forced outward.

Spiritual

I was impressed. Not only for the future technology that may save lives in the future. I am thinking would it not be better to throw on one of these suits and jump out a plane than sit with your knees between your legs waiting for impact.

During the broadcast the most impressive thing was to learn that it had been done a few decades before, that took balls.


I would have been more impressed if Felix had bounced.

norrie rugger

Not really, but nice to watch

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

I wouldn't be impressed with a manned mission to Mars on the basis that the astronauts are incredible. I would be impressed with it due to the complexity, organisation and monumental effort that would be required by all of the thousands of people involved, in order to pull it off. Not to mention the will, the technology and the resources.

It would stand as a testament to human achievement, and dwarf even the moon landings.

Jumping out a balloon in a fancy suit isn't even the same sport.

Yet that suit and the telemetry gathered may well save astronauts. All of these private endeavours (Space X, Virgin Galaxy, Felix's jump) are the things driving our space tech development now.

Dodge

Boringgggg...

I'm in the "Not really, but nice to watch" camp

A bit of the shine was taken off by the Red Bull hype that went with it. I can understand that there's a serious research side to it too but I'm sure there were far more groundbreaking scientific advancements made that weren't covered by live TV

The speed of sound thing means nothing to me. Maybe I don't just get the fascination with it

Enjoyed looking at his fall though. Good ten minutes of TV. I can't be the only one to have thought the possibility of him, eh, "encountering a problem" was part of the TV attraction though, can I?

nobby grande

Not really, but nice to watch

Wibbs wrote: »

PS it doesn't come within an asses roar of the Apollo missions for scale of balls, science or technology or simply moving humanity forward. Not in the ball park, not even the same feckin sport. Comparing that to the moon landings is beyond daft IMHO. It doesn't even compare to humans landing yet another rover on mars this year.

Nobody bar the OP is in reality comparing it to the Apollo missions or the Mars rover / curiosity landings. The Op mentioned both but the concept that these events rank alongside each other is ridiculous.

With regard to Baumgartners level of sponsorship and the expertise of his support team, i don't really feel this should take away from the guy's achievement.

If a rich kid educated in a private school wins a peace prize does his costly education negate his achievment?

No it doesn't.

Felix Baumgartner has done something that no human has ever done before.
Whatever his skewed political views are (and i could not care less) i tip my hat to man and would thank him for entertaining me in a way i have not expierienced before.