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Not a complete success: One high-altitude balloon record is ...This discrepancy is likely caused by the fact that Baumgartner achieved significantly higher spee

Not a complete success: One high-altitude balloon record is ...This discrepancy is likely caused by the fact that Baumgartner achieved significantly higher speeds than Kittinger, and so the free fall phase ended quicker than expected. This discrepancy is likely caused by Felix showing great respect for Joe by allowing him to keep one record.

Simucal 14y ago
I'm not saying that Felix didn't intentionally deploy his chute early to preserve that last record but here are a few points to consider: Right before Felix deployed his chute he complained that he had poor visibility because his visor had fogged up. He had been having trouble with the heating element on his visor before the he made the jump as well. So it is possible he made the decision to deploy for safety reasons if he wasn't able to accurately gauge his altitude due to poor visibility. Lastly, in the Project Excelsior jump Kittinger used a drogue to slow and stabilize his descent. This is at odds with what Felix was trying to accomplish which was to break the sound barrier and achieve the fastest free fall record. So, the difference in speeds between Kittinger and Felix may have been enough to prevent Felix from also beating the longest free fall record.
- benlm 14y ago
  In the press conference Felix stated that he pulled at 5200 feet, which was the planned deployment altitude (well, 5000 was planned, but the 200 feet difference is negligible at 170+mph).
  - Simucal 14y ago
    So that solves it then. That would mean that he did not pull early to preserve Kittinger's record as many people were suggesting. He simply was going too fast and Kittinger had gone too slow (especially because of the drogue).
    - dhimes 14y ago
      Total distance in free-fall is a better record, then, than total time.
InclinedPlane 14y ago
In order to have broken Kittinger's record Baumgartner would have had to fall for an additional 16 seconds. At 170 mph (250 ft/s) or so that would have translated into falling an additional 4,000 feet, and deploying his parachute at a height of only about 1,000 feet within 4 seconds of impact. Moreover, his reserve parachute would have automatically deployed at a height of 2,000 feet, which would have left him about 4 seconds short of the record regardless.
joelrunyon 14y ago
The records of "fastest free fall speed" and "longest free fall" are diametrically opposed to each other. They said multiple times that they were going for height and speed. I think the "longest free fall" was sort of a "bonus" one they were thinking might be possible if he didn't break the sound barrier.

Simucal 14y ago

I'm not saying that Felix didn't intentionally deploy his chute early to preserve that last record but here are a few points to consider: Right before Felix deployed his chute he complained that he had poor visibility because his visor had fogged up. He had been having trouble with the heating element on his visor before the he made the jump as well. So it is possible he made the decision to deploy for safety reasons if he wasn't able to accurately gauge his altitude due to poor visibility. Lastly, in the Project Excelsior jump Kittinger used a drogue to slow and stabilize his descent. This is at odds with what Felix was trying to accomplish which was to break the sound barrier and achieve the fastest free fall record. So, the difference in speeds between Kittinger and Felix may have been enough to prevent Felix from also beating the longest free fall record.

benlm 14y ago
In the press conference Felix stated that he pulled at 5200 feet, which was the planned deployment altitude (well, 5000 was planned, but the 200 feet difference is negligible at 170+mph).
- Simucal 14y ago
  So that solves it then. That would mean that he did not pull early to preserve Kittinger's record as many people were suggesting. He simply was going too fast and Kittinger had gone too slow (especially because of the drogue).
  - dhimes 14y ago
    Total distance in free-fall is a better record, then, than total time.

InclinedPlane 14y ago

In order to have broken Kittinger's record Baumgartner would have had to fall for an additional 16 seconds. At 170 mph (250 ft/s) or so that would have translated into falling an additional 4,000 feet, and deploying his parachute at a height of only about 1,000 feet within 4 seconds of impact. Moreover, his reserve parachute would have automatically deployed at a height of 2,000 feet, which would have left him about 4 seconds short of the record regardless.

joelrunyon 14y ago

The records of "fastest free fall speed" and "longest free fall" are diametrically opposed to each other. They said multiple times that they were going for height and speed. I think the "longest free fall" was sort of a "bonus" one they were thinking might be possible if he didn't break the sound barrier.