Great NASA Shuttle launch video

[hemi68charger]

For those with HD quality computer screens and/or TV viewing capability, this is an awesome video of STS 129....  Enjoy,, I know I did..........

http://www.vimeo.com/7852885

Troy

[tan top]

good video  , dang you got to have guts to fly in that thing  awesome stuff

[hemi68charger]

good video  , dang you got to have guts to fly in that thing  awesome stuff

In 1999/2000, I applied for a NASA Mission Specialist position (astronaut without pilot qualifications). Needless to say, I didn't make the cut. But, oh well, I tried. 

It's got to be awesome. I've flown an F-16 with an unrestricted takeoff and went from 50 ft to 14,000ft with full afterburner in 29 seconds,,,,,,,,,,,,, straight up. What a rush !!!!!

[tan top]

good video  , dang you got to have guts to fly in that thing   awesome stuff

In 1999/2000, I applied for a NASA Mission Specialist position (astronaut without pilot qualifications). Needless to say, I didn't make the cut. But, oh well, I tried.  



It's got to be awesome. I've flown an F-16 with an unrestricted takeoff and went from 50 ft to 14,000ft with full afterburner in 29 seconds,,,,,,,,,,,,, straight up. What a rush !!!!!

wow Troy in just 29 secs man  that thing was  moving

[b5blue]

Awe struck! Thanks!

[Mr.Woolery]

Great video!

I bet everyone on board was inwardly saying to themselves, "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" 

[bull]

Hey, while I've got a pilot reading, my daughter asked me a question I didn't know how to answer. They've moved beyond the "why is the sky blue" questions (which I probably can't answer either) and started asking me some tough ones. She wants to know how long it would take to free-fall from the top layer of the atmosphere to the ground? My guess was about 15 minutes but I have to admit it was a wild guess based on lame calculations I did in my head from what I've heard about skydiving. Any idea?

[Mr.Woolery]

Hey, while I've got a pilot reading, my daughter asked me a question I didn't know how to answer. They've moved beyond the "why is the sky blue" questions (which I probably can't answer either) and started asking me some tough ones. She wants to know how long it would take to free-fall from the top layer of the atmosphere to the ground? My guess was about 15 minutes but I have to admit it was a wild guess based on lame calculations I did in my head from what I've heard about skydiving. Any idea?

It's been done before, and the freefall took ~4.5 minutes.  If you did a low altitude pull of the chute, you'd probably go around 5 minutes or so.

Info on the highest skydive ever:
"On Aug. 16, 1960, as research for the then- fledgling U.S. space program, Air Force Captain Joseph Kittinger rode a helium balloon to the edge of space, 102,800 feet above the earth, a feat in itself. Then, wearing just a thin pressure suit and breathing supplemental oxygen, he leaned over the cramped confines of his gondola and jumped into the 110-degree-below- zero, near-vacuum of space. Within seconds his body accelerated to 714 mph in the thin air, breaking the sound barrier. After free- falling for more than four and a half minutes, slowed finally by friction from the heavier air below, he felt his parachute open at 14,000 feet, and he coasted gently down to the New Mexico desert floor."

[PocketThunder]

Hey, while I've got a pilot reading, my daughter asked me a question I didn't know how to answer. They've moved beyond the "why is the sky blue" questions (which I probably can't answer either) and started asking me some tough ones. She wants to know how long it would take to free-fall from the top layer of the atmosphere to the ground? My guess was about 15 minutes but I have to admit it was a wild guess based on lame calculations I did in my head from what I've heard about skydiving. Any idea?

It's been done before, and the freefall took ~4.5 minutes.  If you did a low altitude pull of the chute, you'd probably go around 5 minutes or so.

Info on the highest skydive ever:
"On Aug. 16, 1960, as research for the then- fledgling U.S. space program, Air Force Captain Joseph Kittinger rode a helium balloon to the edge of space, 102,800 feet above the earth, a feat in itself. Then, wearing just a thin pressure suit and breathing supplemental oxygen, he leaned over the cramped confines of his gondola and jumped into the 110-degree-below- zero, near-vacuum of space. Within seconds his body accelerated to 714 mph in the thin air, breaking the sound barrier. After free- falling for more than four and a half minutes, slowed finally by friction from the heavier air below, he felt his parachute open at 14,000 feet, and he coasted gently down to the New Mexico desert floor."

Holy Crap!!!!!!!!!!      

[RD]

why didnt he burn up in re-entry?

[hemi68charger]

Hey, while I've got a pilot reading, my daughter asked me a question I didn't know how to answer. They've moved beyond the "why is the sky blue" questions (which I probably can't answer either) and started asking me some tough ones. She wants to know how long it would take to free-fall from the top layer of the atmosphere to the ground? My guess was about 15 minutes but I have to admit it was a wild guess based on lame calculations I did in my head from what I've heard about skydiving. Any idea?

It's been done before, and the freefall took ~4.5 minutes.  If you did a low altitude pull of the chute, you'd probably go around 5 minutes or so.

Info on the highest skydive ever:
"On Aug. 16, 1960, as research for the then- fledgling U.S. space program, Air Force Captain Joseph Kittinger rode a helium balloon to the edge of space, 102,800 feet above the earth, a feat in itself. Then, wearing just a thin pressure suit and breathing supplemental oxygen, he leaned over the cramped confines of his gondola and jumped into the 110-degree-below- zero, near-vacuum of space. Within seconds his body accelerated to 714 mph in the thin air, breaking the sound barrier. After free- falling for more than four and a half minutes, slowed finally by friction from the heavier air below, he felt his parachute open at 14,000 feet, and he coasted gently down to the New Mexico desert floor."

Holy Crap!!!!!!!!!!      

No kidding.......... Talk about gonads !!!!!!  I can ONLY imagine the view from the balloon DOWN !!!!!