anyone ever go skydiving read this!
 

I was reading this article on the BBC today about a guy who is going to make a parachute jump from 40 km high (131,200 feet)

Here is some persepctive on how high that is:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/3...p_inf2_150.gif


I thought this quote from the article was amazing:

In so doing, he will fall further and faster than any jumper before him, reaching supersonic speeds between 1,200 and 1,600 kilometres per hour (between 745 and 1,000 mph).


Here is the article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2241175.stm

It is pretty cool read how fucking crazy this guy is.

I believe the current record is held by someone in the airforce during trials done in the 1950's!

Just read the article. It was 1960 at just over 100,000 feet.

yea, they discuss that in the article also

I can't imagine a more intense "high". No pun intended.

Hopefully he survives to tell the story!!

Was at a fair tonight and went up on the "Kinzinger Tower", a deal that takes 32 people, up 55 meters (160 feet), and then lets you drop. I can tell you that it took all of the "if I ever get the chance to parachute I will" out of me forever. I think I'm going to stick to diving.

if his parachute dont open, can you imagine the mess that would make?

Crazy frog!

There's going to be one big mess that day!

THAT is insane.

Breaking the sound barrier? Holy mother fucking shit!

I'm thinking there would just be a spacesuit shaped hole in the ground.

Now, that's Terminal Velocity... Where can we sign up???

14,900 is about the highest that I have jumped from, but would be all over 131K....:Graucho

I jumped from 5000 feet...

I feel like a pussy now.... sheeit

I doubt he would be able to withstand 750 mph during a fall.

He must be wearing something to keep him from burning up, or possibly freezing at those speeds.

1200 mph fall?

C'mon, he wont be able to breath.

12,000ft was enough for me and that was one of the best experiences ever...

131,000 thats hard-fucking-core! :Graucho

Damn thats almost a 25 mile drop! Pretty high considering the Space Shuttle coasts at heights between 190 to about 350 miles above sea level!