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This is crazy: Skydiver plans to break sound barrier

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by rockHEAD, Dec 10, 2001.

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  1. rockHEAD

    rockHEAD Member

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    French skydiver plans to break sound barrier, in free-fall

    A French skydiver plans to free-fall from nearly 25 miles (40 kilometers) up, breaking the sound barier as he hurtles earthwards, in an attempt to set four world records, he announced Monday.

    Michel Fournier, 57, intends to jump from a specially designed balloon in a bid to to become the first man to break the sound barrier in free-fall.

    At a speed of up to 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) per hour, he would also set the record for the fastest free-fall and break two others, for the highest jump and the highest flight in a balloon.

    "What I like the most is the extreme -- always higher, faster, further and more audacious," the former French army major said.

    Fournier announced his plans in Bristol, the base of Cameron Balloons which designed the Breitlinger Orbiter balloon that circumnavigated the world.

    The company is designing a polythene balloon for him.

    At 510,000 cubic metres (18 million cubic feet), around 95 metres high and 105 metres (313 and 346 feet) in diameter, the canopy will be around 170 times the size of an average balloon.

    Fournier will spend some three hours ascending in an enclosed light-weight gondola before deflating the balloon and parachuting back down to earth in six minutes and 25 seconds.

    Around 30 seconds into the jump he will break the sound barrier, and after about 60 seconds will reach terminal velocity, at which point he plans to open a parachute to slow his descent and land.

    A parachute will also open on the gondola to allow it to descend safely.

    Fournier will wear a special spacesuit to allow him to breathe and protect him against the extremely low temperatures, which can drop as low as minus 90 degrees Celsius, as well as from ultra-violet and cosmic rays.

    The parachutist, who took up the sport in the army, has skydived more than 8,000 times, more than 100 of them at high altitude.

    The jump is likely to take place in May next year in an uninhabited area of Canada, although the details have not yet been finalised.

    ---

    crazy....
    [​IMG]
     
    #1 rockHEAD, Dec 10, 2001
  2. Johnny Rocket

    Johnny Rocket Member

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    Couldnt going that fast kill him or something?:confused: :confused:
     
    #2 Johnny Rocket, Dec 10, 2001
  3. MoonDogg

    MoonDogg Member

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    I wonder if he'll make a big boom when he breaks the sound barrier.

    Question for the physics people around here:
    I thought the terminal velocity of a falling object was way less than the speed of sound. Enlighten me......
     
    #3 MoonDogg, Dec 10, 2001
  4. DREAMer

    DREAMer Member

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    I too was under the assumption that terminal velocity could not approach the speed of sound...

    :confused:
     
    #4 DREAMer, Dec 10, 2001
  5. Lil Pun

    Lil Pun Member

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    I found this article on terminal velocity. I hope it helps, if any. Terminal Velocity
     
    #5 Lil Pun, Dec 11, 2001
  6. DREAMer

    DREAMer Member

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    From the above article:
    Now, I know the speed of sound is slower at higher altitudes, but it's still got to be around 600 mph, which is more than a "tad" faster than 120.


    Still :confused:

    <FONT SIZE="1">After rereading and clicking on a related article, I found this about the land sound barrier.</FONT>

     
    #6 DREAMer, Dec 11, 2001
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2001
  7. tacoma park legend

    tacoma park legend Member

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    The higher the altitude from which an object is dropped, the longer it takes for said object to reach its terminal velocity.

    Apparently, and I'd assume he's ignoring air resistance (not a constant variable/immeasurable), he's calculated the altitude from which he must jump that will allow him, theoretically , to break the sound barrier.
     
    #7 tacoma park legend, Dec 11, 2001
  8. tacoma park legend

    tacoma park legend Member

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    I recant my previous comments. It is impossible for this man to break the sound barrier.

    To help clear this up, realize that not even a bullet can break the sound barrier.

    This man is a complete moron.
     
    #8 tacoma park legend, Dec 11, 2001
  9. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Member

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    I jumped from 10,000 feet. I didn't come close to breaking the sound barrier and felt like I was gonna die. I think I was going somewhere between 60-100 mph.
     
    #9 PhiSlammaJamma, Dec 11, 2001
  10. rockHEAD

    rockHEAD Member

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    here's a jet breaking the sound barrier... imagine what would happen to a human?

    [​IMG]

    --
     
    #10 rockHEAD, Dec 11, 2001
  11. MoonDogg

    MoonDogg Member

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    Ummm...are you sure about the bullet thing? I'm pretty sure some calibers are able to achieve that velocity.

    Your right about the man being a moron though. I wonder if we'll get to see video of him darwinizing himself:D
     
    #11 MoonDogg, Dec 11, 2001
  12. mr_gootan

    mr_gootan Member

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    Capt. Joseph Kittinger

    Apparently this guy did it already for the space program.

     
    #12 mr_gootan, Dec 11, 2001
  13. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    From digging around for some more info, Kittinger never broke the sound barrier. He hit a velocity of around 615 mph and the speed of sound at 30k feet is about 675 mph. He came close, but didn't quite succeed.

    tpl,

    I believe rifle bullets can exceed 1500 meters per second (some of those gun folks may know about this). If this is true, then they easily exceed the speed of sound.
     
    #13 Dr of Dunk, Dec 11, 2001
  14. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    He'd have the cloud indicating a sonic boom taking place around him as well? :)

    With his luck a duck may wander by and be drilled by this dude falling 700 mph. lol.
     
    #14 Dr of Dunk, Dec 11, 2001
  15. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    What air? :)

    At that height drag is near 0. By the time he encountered any significant air resistance, I think he would have hit terminal velocity. He was essentially falling through a vacuum through the first few thousand feet - ie, he was in space! :eek:
     
    #15 Dr of Dunk, Dec 11, 2001
  16. Hydra

    Hydra Member

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    Most bullets easily exceed the speed of sound. There is no sonic boom due to their extremely small size, but speed is not even an issue.
     
    #16 Hydra, Dec 12, 2001
  17. francis 4 prez

    francis 4 prez Member

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    Well I remember once at our deerlease (f4p doesn't hunt but he used to love the deerlease) seeing a deer shot and start to fall before I heard the sound so it would seem quite reasonable that the bullet travelled much faster than the speed of sound.
     
    #17 francis 4 prez, Dec 12, 2001
  18. DrewP

    DrewP Member

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    Splat.
     
    #18 DrewP, Dec 12, 2001
  19. unt2003

    unt2003 Member

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    STUPID FRENCH MAN!!! this guy will die, mark my word. Reminds me of the time when a french guy tried to ROW across the Pacific. Stupid people just annoy me :)
     
    #19 unt2003, Dec 12, 2001
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