Frenchman poised for 'Great Leap,' a 40-kilometer-high adventure

Fournier would be in free fall for eight minutes. He would exceed the speed of sound, more than 700 miles hour, within the first 40 seconds, eventually approaching 1,000 miles per hour. His fall rate would slow at lower altitudes because of increasing wind resistance as the atmosphere thickened. At about 20,000 feet he would open his parachute. If the jump succeeds, he will set four records: a speed record for the fastest free fall; a record for the highest altitude for a human balloon flight; a record for the longest free fall; and of course, a record for the highest parachute jump. The highest balloon jump so far was performed in 1960 by Joe Kittinger, a U.S. Air Force test pilot who leaped from 102,800 feet, and reached speeds in excess of 600 miles per hour before opening his chute at 18,000 feet. He was back on Earth in less than 14 minutes. Reached by phone at his home outside Orlando, Florida, Kittinger, 79, said he was surprised his mark had stood for 48 years. Fournier and Kittinger correspond through e-mail. "I told him many years ago, it's very hostile," Kittinger said. "You're in a vacuum, and you're whole life is dependent on the pressure suit working properly. If the pressure suit fails, you die."



Sounds cool.

When he lands, does he surrender?

of all things to happen. the frenchman's balloon took off without him. or was it a case of last minute loss of bravado? (read chickened out)

Justoo wrote:

When he lands, does he surrender?

For Sale:

Chuachat, 30.06 caliber, only dropped once.