Heroes
Everything You Wanted To Know About The Red Bull Space Jump (And A Few Things That You Didn't)
That FelixBaumgartner 128,000-foot jump from the edge of space was almost, literally, outof this world. With all the risks involved, Felix must have been out of hismind. But I think it’s great that one man’s bravery hasreignited our interest in space. Take that, Mars Rover!
10.23.12
This infographic was (optimistically) put together before the record-breaking jump so the numbers are not quite exact. Still, a guy went skydiving from space. That. Just. HAPPENED.
Cool story, bro. But look at everything that could have gone wrong:
- Colliding shockwaves that explode a human body moving at supersonic speed
- Low-pressure environment causing flat spin (which did happen) that could knock him out and cause brain damage (jury’s still out – kidding!)
- Vacuum exposure boiling his blood
- Decompression sickness (“the bends”)
- Extreme cold
- Extreme heat
- Ultraviolet radiation 100 times as strong at 120,000 feet
- Accidental deployment of parachute
So, kids, next time you want to jump from the edge of space … just don’t. You make me nervous.