Guest #1 September 16, 2002 This just came in a little while ago (about noon Pacific Time) from one of Michel Fournier's media liaison people on the East Coast. Michel is of course near Saskatoon, trying to get launched. Dear Mark: News: an attempt may be made TONIGHT (early Tuesday am) at 4 am, Saskatchewan time (Mountain time) -- 6 am New York/Atlanta/Toronto/Montreal, and 3 am California/West Coast time. The first good weather day for Super Jump was Saturday, Sept. 14. However, the high-altitude winds picked up again and the launch was canceled. Sunday was another excellent day, and colonel Fournier did his painful denitrogenation (a long process of breathing in huge quantities of pure oxygen to avoid the "bends" during his reentry by driving out the nitrogen -- if not his blood would boil and of course death would ensue). He was enveloped in his four-layered thermal aerospace suit with parachutes and oxygen tank. (The ground temperature was a warm 23ºC/74ºF.) He took his seat in the capsule and began preparations for launch. While helium was being pumped into the balloon a critical heavy plastic sleeve used in pumping the helium ruptured. Five hours of repairs later, the good weather had passed. This morning in Saskatchewan, it was rainy. Environment Canada (http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/scripts/citygen.pl?client=ECCDN_e&city=YXE) has been quite accurate in predicting the weather, good and bad. The weather has been weird around the globe this year, including peaceful Saskatchewan. According to Heather Fitz of TourismSaskatoon.com, it was 29ºC/84ºF today, not like the usual 15ºC/50ºF in this Canadian province. With this heat, the jetstream has become a bothersome factor. The most important factor is the high altitude jetstream. Michel Fournier must avoid a strong jetstream wind. Otherwise, he would be blown far off course if he lands into a jetstream going sideways at 700 kph. Of course, he will be also dropping downward in free fall at over 1,000 kph. If he starts going sideways, he could start to tumble, spin and lose consciousness. Should this happen, body sensors and a camera trained on his eyeballs will immediately inform ground control, and his chute (he also has a backup chute) will open. Michel is in good spirits. We spoke with him this morning. Michel will try for tonight or perhaps as late as the 20th of September. It all comes down now to good meteorological mojo. John de Nugent Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QuickDraw 0 #2 September 16, 2002 Well ....i for one wish him all the very best of luck, as i imagine everyone here does. I can't wait to see it happen, so god knows what he is going through. Man..that's gonna be some ride down....and by my reckoning it's at least 4 beers. -- Hope you don't die. -- I'm fucking winning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottbre 0 #3 September 16, 2002 Who's flying video for him? "Your mother's full of stupidjuice!" My Art Project Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #4 September 16, 2002 It was really exciting yesterday. When he came out of the quonset hut, all suited up for the first time, everybody cheered."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #5 September 16, 2002 The gondola is festooned with cameras inside and out, and I saw at least one mounted on his rig."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QuickDraw 0 #6 September 16, 2002 What..ain't Quade doin it ? -- Hope you don't die. -- I'm fucking winning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #7 September 16, 2002 Pic from Kittinger's jump in 1960. 104,000 ft. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbunky 3 #8 September 16, 2002 pretty weak arch... "Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart." MB4252 TDS699 killing threads since 2001 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lummy 4 #9 September 16, 2002 I was wondering who did the spotting. Seems to be a LOT of industrial haze down there...I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #10 September 16, 2002 Yes, of all the photos of Kittinger's jump, this one is perhaps the best-known of them. Life Magazine ran a shot taken about a 1/2 second after the one you posted, where he was rotating to the left and up, so that he could watch the gondola go away."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #11 September 16, 2002 Weather came in and covered the ground not long after Kittinger launched. In his book, "The Long, Lonely Leap", Kittinger described how he panicked momentarily when he entered the clouds."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lummy 4 #12 September 16, 2002 Thanks for sharing that. I'll have to check the book out, it sounds interesting... BTW, what's the red box under his butt? IS that for oxygen or something?I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dida 0 #13 September 16, 2002 Quotewhat's the red box under his butt that's for when he starts shitting himself when he realizes what he's gotten himself into... makes great fertilizer spiral out...keep going... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #14 September 16, 2002 Instrumentation package. There was a big honkin' tape recorder (remember this is 1960) to get physiological data, voice, etc. as well as batteries and so forth. The whole ensemble weighed over 300 lbs. There's film of Kittinger waddling around at the launch site with all that on - he couldn't walk far."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narcimund 0 #15 September 16, 2002 QuoteThanks for sharing that. I'll have to check the book out, it sounds interesting... Good luck! It's rare and hard to find. I happen to have just bought a copy but I've been looking for about 6 months. I know where you can pick one up for $150 if you're desperate. First Class Citizen Twice Over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #16 September 16, 2002 The red box was instruments. It weighed 57 lbs by itself. His exit weight was 313 lbs. Fortunately, he was jumping a 28-ft round to give him that gentle landing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #17 September 16, 2002 I got lucky - the Seattle Central Library had a copy."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbunky 3 #18 September 16, 2002 i think that's why fournier picked saskatchewan... it's fairly big, fairly flat, he can probably land somewhere safe! spotting could be a bit tricky from 25 miles up! "ummm, 5 left, no, wait, 5 right, ah screw it, i'm outa here.""Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart." MB4252 TDS699 killing threads since 2001 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lummy 4 #19 September 16, 2002 actually, I was just thinking the library would be the best place too..I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
konradptr 0 #20 September 16, 2002 I'll jump video for him if he pays for my slot... ------------------------------------------ Getting banned isn't that bad...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allrightscud 0 #21 September 16, 2002 Is there a web site or anywhere else that you can get up to date info on the project? Tom Too much is never enough! All right scud? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narcimund 0 #22 September 16, 2002 Quoteactually, I was just thinking the library would be the best place too.. Library? Who can afford to get books from the library? I gave up on libraries and video rental stores when I realized I'm incapable of getting anything back on time. It's cheaper for me to buy it, no matter how much it costs. First Class Citizen Twice Over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #23 September 16, 2002 I just checked Amazon, and you can buy a copy there for $150... Maybe the library isn't such a bad idea. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lummy 4 #24 September 16, 2002 WEll, whaddya know.. Mine has it. I have to drive out to Antioch to get it, BUT that's on the way to Byron (which would explain why the book is out in Antioch) see?I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbunky 3 #25 September 17, 2002 QuoteIs there a web site or anywhere else that you can get up to date info on the project? right here."Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart." MB4252 TDS699 killing threads since 2001 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
