Dumb question?

Question

Or dumb attempt. What do you think of the Frenchman who intended to jump from his balloon and break the sound barrier in free fall. I for one, would want all my body parts firmly anchored.

Answer 1

pedro s.... well if you cant go faster than 125 mph then how can asteroids go through the atmosphere going 500,000 mph(or however fast they go)

Answer 2

Most record attempts could be called Dumb. But the fame and glory will always attract those who wish to set records. Many of their exploits are ill conceived, but some give valuable data for the rest of us. Yes at very high altitudes its possible to brake the speed of sound in a free fall. I wish him luck for he will need it.

Answer 3

I think that he was really careless to let his balloon get loose. I mean, this was a lot of money he had spent on this and he didn't even plan how to launch the balloon correctly.

Answer 4

can't go faster than 125/150 mph in free fall...physics doesnt permit..so that part can't happen

Answer 5

He definitely is a dreamer!  Couldn't imagine the physics behind the free fall.  The big question is:  What in the world did he say to convince his money backers to finance him?  They all are in la-la land or he is so good he would be able to sell ice up in Alaska!

Answer 6

He's talked about doing it for years, but every time the date to launch arrives he has a problem. This year the balloon blew away lol

In my opinion he's all about getting attention.

Answer 7

on Aug 16, 1960 Joe Kittinger jumped from a balloon at the height of 102,800 Ft.  he exceeded 714 mph breaking the sound barrier (based on temp, pressure, and altitude). Allof this was testing for space suits for nasa.  He had to wait for the air density to increase at lower altitudes and slow him down (terminal velocity) in order to deploy his chute without shredding it.

here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81gn2oLeC...

Answer 8

You're right, dumb question.

It's merely the Darwin effect.

Answer 9

Yes I read about it, funny his balloon going away.

To those who say he cant go beyond the sound barrier you are incorrect, as he planned to jump from a very high altitude where the atmosphere was very thin (ergo, the air resistance would be a tiny fraction of what it would be lower down, hence letting him accelerate to higher speeds).

And no i do not fancy trying that myself lol.

Answer 10

Huh? i dun get

Answer 11

To start with Mark is right in saying that the skydivers fall is not technically Free Fall. A true free fall is influenced only by gravity and excludes atmospheric resistance.

And FYI, Joseph Kittinger has exceeded (claimed) speed of sound in a "free fall". So theoretically and anatomically it is possible.

And supersonic ejections have occured, with a pilot surviving a Mach 3+ ejection. So the human body can survive a trip to the supersonic realm

Answer 12

If his fall is subject to the decelerative effect of air resistance, then it isn't free fall.  In free fall a body experiences zero G.  At terminal velocity a body experiences 1 G.  

The terminal speed is an indicated or calibrated airspeed.   It is his true airspeed that he wants to exceed the speed of sound.

The speed of sound is not a barrier.  There is no sound barrier.