

10 years ago
6
Google boss sets new skydive record
A senior Google vice president, Alan Eustace, has broken the world altitude record for a parachute jump set in 2012 by Austrian Felix Baumgartner. Mr Eustace was carried by a large helium balloon from New Mexico to over 40km (25 miles) above the earth. The 57-year-old leapt out in a specially-designed space suit, reaching speeds of more than 1,300km/h. He exceeded the speed of sound, setting off a small sonic boom, and broke three skydiving records in the process.
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Looks like Google is dead serious about the cloud...
Compared to the Baumgartner jump this was so much low-tech and low-key.
Yeah good to NOT see all the Red Bull and other sponsorship ads everywhere
Getting rid of that whole capsule and all the weight that went along with it is a pretty damn good idea.
Silent but deadly
This month's Analog Science Fiction and Fact has an interesting related fact article that mentioned the previous record holder numerous times. It was about SPEARED - Single Person Emergency Atmospheric Reentry Device, to help protect astronauts (or just people really high up) from the heat and impact of Earth reentry.