A journey to 90,000 ft

[makc]

Click to play embedded YouTube video.

was this ever an apod? could be most boring apod ever

For more information on the weather research conducted with this weather balloon visit: http://sharp.hnet.uh.edu/doku.php

[hstarbuck]

Just wanted to comment that I enjoyed this video as I fast forwarded in small jumps for a total viewing time of a few minutes. I was hoping for a pop and then a spectacular freefall. I guess the coastline was Texas?

[makc]

I fast forwarded in small jumps for a total viewing time of a few minutes.

I actually tried to watch it all, but gave up after ~20 minutes.

This gives me an idea for interesting programming experiment. As you see, the camera rotates a lot, so picking frames at interval X would produce extremely chaotic video. So one would need to test frames starting at X and onwards untill there's one reasonably close to last frame, using surf or similar method. This will produce smooth ffwd video (but non-constant speed, obviously).

[wonderboy]

I can't see this video, but I assume it was a weather bloon yes? I would watch it, purely for the enjoyment of seeing something you wouldnt normally be able to see. and thats the world from 90k ft in the air. Youd die of the coldness brrrrrrrrrrrr


Paul.

[Chris Peterson]

and thats the world from 90k ft in the air. Youd die of the coldness :( brrrrrrrrrrrr

No you wouldn't. The atmospheric pressure at 90K feet is less than 2% of that at sea level. You'd pass out in seconds, and die of hypoxia long before the temperature would be an issue.

[wonderboy]

well I would have thought that you would have died from the cold well before reachin 90 000 ft. I'm not instantly translocating myself to 90 000ft, it would be a gradual event. I would imagine death would occur well before the desired height.


Paul

[Chris Peterson]

well I would have thought that you would have died from the cold well before reachin 90 000 ft. I'm not instantly translocating myself to 90 000ft, it would be a gradual event. I would imagine death would occur well before the desired height.

Hypoxia is almost sure to get you first, even if you ascend quite slowly. Keep in mind that it isn't all that cold up there- maybe -40°C, which you can deal with quite well with just a bit of ordinary winter clothing. And as you get higher, the temperature becomes less important since the thin air doesn't carry or hold heat well. At that point you start losing heat to radiative effects, and again just simple clothing will protect you.

[wonderboy]

Fair enough, I'm not gonna tie myself up to some balloons and float in the air tho like This guy lol

If your stats are accurate then he's a very lucky chappy.

Paul

[makc]

Eventually he gathered the nerve to shoot a few balloons, and slowly descended. The hanging tethers tangled and caught in a power line, blacking out a Long Beach neighborhood for 20 minutes. Larry climbed to safety, where he was arrested by waiting members of the LAPD.

I think I have read in different version that he dropped the shotgun and they had to bring him down with a helicopter.

[wonderboy]

He's a tool aint he? Jimmy Carr said he had died. Some of those Darwin Awards are absolute madness though haha.


Paul