Space jump breaks YouTube record; relive the dive
VIIDEO: Felix Baumgartner leaps from 37,000m.
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Hawke’s Bay
UPDATE / Oct 16: Felix Baumgartner successfully jumped from 37km above the earth yesterday.
The Austrian broke the world record for the highest parachute jump, plus a couple he probably wasn't aware as he set a new Trending Topic record on Twitter, and a new record for simultaneous views on YouTube (Google says around 8 million people watched the live stream ... which, for NBR ONLINE and some others on Twitter, didn't work at first).
Relive the jump in the montage below:
UPDATE / Oct 15: Watch Felix Baumgartner fall faster than a can of flying V [Are you sure you have the right sponsor? - Editor] in the live video below.
The jump was delayed last Wednesday due to high winds.
It is now scheduled for around 7am Monday morning NZ time.
OCT 9: Austrian Felix Baumgartner (43) will skydrive from space around 1.30am Wednesday morning NZ time.
In point of fact, Mr Baumgartner will jump from a record-breaking 36.5km - very high, but well short of where space officially begins at 100km (a height that would see the Austrian burn up in the atmosphere, ruining his energy drink signage).
Mr Baumgartner will jump from a capsule the size of VW Beetle, lifted to the edge(ish) of space by a helium balloon.
After he leaps, he will reach speeds of up to 1100km per hour within 40 seconds, breaking the sound barrier, before deploying his parachute.
If his suit tears, his blood will quite literally boil.
It's definitely not the time to drink too many highly caffeinated beverages that will make you want to go wees.
Mr Baumgartner will jump above Roswell, New Mexico and, all going to plan, land softly in a local desert six minutes later.
NBR staff
Tue, 16 Oct 2012
Tue, 16 Oct 2012
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Space jump breaks YouTube record; relive the dive
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