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Record breakers!
The team present their findings at the California Science Center, January 23 2013
The California Science Center was the perfect location for a special meeting of the Red Bull Stratos team on January 23, as they conducted a peer review of all the data they’ve been analyzing since Felix Baumgartner’s supersonic freefall.
Even though the mission’s skydiving consultant Luke Aikins joked that he would be “more comfortable skydiving at night with one arm tied behind my back” than giving a formal presentation, he and the entire team did themselves proud, and the audience of dignitaries – including NASA astronauts, U.S. Air Force officers, and representatives from commercial aerospace companies such as Virgin Galactic, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, XCOR, Sierra Nevada Corporation and more – were obviously excited to be the first to learn the findings.
Some of the most anticipated info came from the physiologic monitor Felix wore under his suit. How fast did his spin get? 60 rpm. (Still totally in the safe zone!). Then there were the weather extremes, with temps as low as minus 95 F. The team shared updates to Felix’s history-making stats, too, including the announcement that he went even faster than originally believed, definitely reaching Mach 1.25.
It was a fascinating day and an emotional one, with a long, spontaneous standing ovation for Felix’s mentor Joe Kittinger and a heartfelt moment when technical project director Art Thompson misted up in thanking the mission “family.” Even the mid-afternoon break was memorable as everyone took a moment to visit Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Want to read what the experts learned? Check out a report on the findings and keep your eye on this site for further updates.
Tags: Felix Baumgartner, joe kittinger, space, space dive, california space center, endeavour, Red Bull Stratos, Stratosphere
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Happy New Year! The team celebrates on an Air Boat the last day of the year in Florida with Col. Joe Kittinger
Happy New Year! Art Thompson, Sherry & Col. Joe Kittinger
Your Red Bull Stratos communications & photography team with Art Thompson
The Red Bull Stratos communications team in Roswell, NM
The Gas Master Travis Moore with RBS blogger Natasha Stenbock in Roswell, NM
The team at Hangar 7 in Austria
Roswell, NM
Off roading with Mike Todd
Capsule crew chief Jon Wells
Engineer Gayle Seekins
Celebrating 2012 and looking ahead to 2013. Red Bull Stratos makes Sports Illustrated’s Picture of the Year. Thank you RBS fans for being a part of our team and loyally following our mission to 128,100 ft. 10-14-12 was a spectacular day! Happy New Year from all of us. Reach for the Stars!
If you are feeling nostalgic about the mission, here is a link to all the posts from the past year.
Tags: Felix Baumgartner, Joe Kittinger, New Year, Red Bull Stratos, skydive, space jump, Art Thompson
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In the distance you can see the Red Bull Stratos high altitude balloon Oct. 14, 2012. courtesy: Quest For Stars
courtesy: Quest For Stars
courtesy: Quest For Stars
courtesy: Quest For Stars
courtesy: Quest For Stars
Quest For Stars lands near Roswell, NM 10-14-12
Quest For Stars lands near Roswell, NM 10-14-12
This is where stars, students, and giant balloons meet - some place between the edge of space and terra firma in Roswell, New Mexico. Quest For Stars’ CEO Bobby Russell is leading students on a scientific mission beyond this galaxy. In fact, Bobby and his team eagerly packed their bags and headed to Roswell, NM at about the same time the Red Bull Stratos team prepared for the final manned flight in October. The atmospheric pictures here were captured by the Quest For Stars balloon cam on Stratoshuttle3, the same day Felix Baumgartner made his record jump Oct. 14, 2012. The QFS balloon reached 98,000 ft. That’s pretty close but not quite as high as our top altitude at 128,100 ft. Interestingly, their equipment landed not too far from our capsule recovery team near Roswell. To watch how Quest For Stars followed in Felix’s footsteps, see it here.
To learn more about Quest For Stars’ next big record setting project go here.
Tags: Quest for stars, Red Bull Stratos, Stratoshuttle, Strato-Eminus
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Earlier this year Kevin Watanabe’s 4th grade class in Denver, CO got a special visit from Dr. Jonathan Clark, medical director for Red Bull Stratos. The kids no doubt had many questions for the team, especially Col. Joe Kittinger. Luckily for us, Joe had answers for all of them.
Question from Jenna B: “Do you feel like you have a different connection with Felix and are you mad he wants to break your record?”
Col. Joe Kittinger: “No, I’m not mad because I feel that records are made to be broken and valuable research will result in these jumps from space… Yes, I have a connection with Felix because I was close to the altitude that Felix will be jumping from. I know all the emotions that will be going through his mind.”
Question from Caleb: “Do you think Felix is ready and are you worried?”
Col. Joe Kittinger: ”Yes, Felix is ready and no, I’m not worried because Felix is a professional athlete and an experienced skydiver. He is going to a very hostile environment to obtain needed research.”
Question from Grant: “Do you feel a little jealous?”
Col. Joe Kittinger: ”I’m not jealous because I feel that records are made to be broken. Felix’s jump will provide needed research on escape from near space. Felix will also be testing the next generation pressure suit for astronauts and aviators.”
Thanks to all the students who followed the Red Bull Stratos mission!
Tags: Twain Elementary School, Red Bull Stratos, Joe Kittinger, Dr. Jon Clark
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Earlier this year I met with former NASA astronaut Col. Blaine Hammond. As Red Bull Stratos made its announcement in February 2012 that Felix Baumgartner would attempt a jump from at least 120,000 feet, I asked Col. Hammond how he felt about our endeavor.
“It looks extremely interesting and, if all goes well, it will be interesting to extrapolate Felix’s results to a Shuttle crew that might have had to bail out at such altitudes.”
Col. Hammond was optimistic and hoped all would go as planned so that our efforts would contribute to the science of space exploration. One thing he preached to classrooms after becoming an astronaut June 1985 was, “prepare now for what you want later”. That was an ongoing theme for Felix and the science team spending more than 5 years preparing for the supersonic jump completed Oct. 14, 2012.
Col. Hammond understands how crucial and unforgiving space exploration can be. Not only had he served as an astronaut, he was the ascent/entry spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) for shuttle missions following the Challenger disaster. When asked how he and his colleagues handled tense mission moments, Blaine said it was important to have the right attitude when approaching the unknown. Col. Hammond flew as pilot of Discovery on STS-39, the first unclassified Department of Defense mission (April 28 to May 6, 1991). He logged 8 days, 7 hours, 23 minutes of space flight. The seven-man crew performed numerous scientific experiments to collect data on atmospheric infrared and ultraviolet phenomena including a deploy and rendezvous in support of the Strategic Defense Initiative Office (SDIO).
Col. Hammond left NASA in 1998 and now spends his time in the sky as a test pilot for Gulfstream.
Tags: Red Bull Stratos, astronaut, Blaine Hammond, NASA
