http://www.dropzone.com/news/SpacePa...Skydivin.shtml

I wonder how many new entries in the "Darwin Awards" this'll create.

I thought that aerodynamically the human body is limited to 120 mph?? guess when your 100,000 feet up, rules change.

I want to try that.

Terminal velocity is 9.8 meters/second, thats what your thinking of Hyper. Although I don't remember much else of Physics! I think I've forgotten more classes than you've taken!

I wouldnt know, Ive forgotten them all too

That base jumping looks pretty cool.

the reason they hit higher speeds is that the air is thinner and less dense, its the molecules that slow you down
there is less air molecules at those 10-40 miles + altitiudes
actually you will find thats what slows anything
on reentry

GO4BROKE,

9.8 meters per second is acceleration due to gravity. An object falling to earth will accellerate an addition 9.8 meters per second every second during the fall not taking into account wind resistance. The correct way to represent accelleration due to gravity would be 9.8 meters per second squared or 9.8 meters per second times the number of seconds during the fall. An object reaches terminal velocity when the wind resitance becomes greater than the force of accelleration due to gravity. Many factors come into play when measuring wind resistance. For instance a bowling ball will have a higher terminal velocity than a feather. But if they were in a vacuum falling towards earth they would both accelerate at 9.8 meters per second and hit the ground at the same time and at the same velocity.

Physics, aaaaah, my favorite class.

Ron

Here's an update...

http://www.dropzone.com/news/MichelF...igJumpDe.shtml

Yeah, wind resistance is the only reason you don't keep accelerating while you fall.

Seems like 100-ish is where you level out at most parachute altitudes. I seem to remember that one of those really baggy jumpsuits can drag you to 80 or so. And that a helmeted skinsuit man can go headfirst to nearly 200.

I also read a recent thing on the balloon skydive attempts that are being planned. There seems to be some dissention as to whether the NASA guy really did break the speed of sound AND also that it was not a freefall cause he had some kind of drogue chute...


Detail, details...