Can I slightly derail this thread for some more badassery?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_KittingerCaptain Kittinger was then assigned to the Aerospace Medical Research Laboratories at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. For Project Excelsior (meaning "ever upward", a name given to the project by Colonel Stapp), as part of research into high altitude bailout, he made a series of three parachute jumps wearing a pressurized suit, from a helium balloon with an open gondola.
The first, from 76,400 feet (23,287 m) on November 16, 1959 was a near tragedy when an equipment malfunction caused him to lose consciousness, but the automatic parachute saved him (he went into a flat spin at a rotational velocity of 120 rpm; the g-force at his extremities was calculated to be over 22 times that of gravity, setting another record). On December 11, 1959 he jumped again from 74,700 feet (22,769 m). For that return jump Kittinger was awarded the Leo Stevens parachute medal.
On August 16, 1960 he made the final jump from the Excelsior III at 102,800 feet (31,300 m). Towing a small drogue chute for stabilization, he fell for 4 minutes and 36 seconds reaching a maximum speed of 614 mph (988 km/h or 274 m/s) before opening his parachute at 18,000 feet (5,500 m). Pressurization for his right glove malfunctioned during the ascent, and his right hand swelled to twice its normal size. He set historical numbers for highest balloon ascent, highest parachute jump, longest drogue-fall (4 min), and fastest speed by a human through the atmosphere[. These are still current USAF records, but were not submitted for aerospace world records to the FAI.
The jumps were made in a "rocking-chair" position, descending on his back, rather than the usual arch familiar to skydivers, because he was wearing a 60 lb (27 kg) "kit" on his behind and his pressure suit naturally formed that shape when inflated, a shape appropriate for sitting in an airplane cockpit.
For the series of jumps, Kittinger was decorated with an oak leaf cluster to his Distinguished Flying Cross and awarded the Harmon Trophy by President Dwight Eisenhower.
What the wiki article failed to mention:
When his glove failed, he decided not to tell command, because that would cost him the opportunity to jump. Seriously. Almost going outer space without a proper suit, and not calling for help, just because you think you might not get another chance? That is badass.
Also, since at that height the speed of sound is different, he is the only human that travelled at supersonic speed... without any propulsion.
And I think ... when he was a teenager, he rode speedboats and probably (thats however only a theory by me) killed bears with one bare hand. probably the one that swelled up on excelsior three, but he just didnt care, since he knew what his hand could do.
seriously, that guy is tough as nails, and chuck norris can go knit sweaters.
hey , I just saw that joseph kittinger is on that bearbearing badassery site as well.
and here is a nice music video with
sum original footidgeAlright
Proceed.
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Topic: Voytek (Read 2013 times)