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The Satelloons

Posted October 11, 2007 1:41 PM

From MAKE Magazine:

Greg writes -From about 1956 until 1964, US aeronautics engineers and rocket scientists at the Langley Research Center developed a series of spherical satellite balloons called, awesomely enough, satelloons. Dubbed Project Echo, the 100-foot diameter aluminumized balloons were one of the inaugural projects for NASA, which was established in 1958.

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vermin
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#1

Re: The Satelloons

10/12/2007 2:10 AM

There was this weird (if not heroic) doctor of the US Air Force that rode a balloon to 153,000 ft! When at this altitude, he jumped out with a pressure suit and free-fell from that altitude! He was the first man (and only one as far as I know) that broke the sound barrier in a free-fall. Guess what? He survived!!!

So why isn't this an extreme sport by now?!

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Halando
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#2
In reply to #1

Re: The Satelloons

10/12/2007 3:07 AM

Maybe it is extremly expensive too.

Did he wear a pressure suit with special shape? I do not think that the terminal velocity of human body exceeds the speed of sound at any position.

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vermin
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#3
In reply to #2

Re: The Satelloons

10/12/2007 3:10 AM

When the altitude is 153,000 ft it does!!!

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Tad
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#4
In reply to #1

Re: The Satelloons

10/12/2007 9:49 AM

Vermin,

It was "only" 102800 ft, but still fascinating isn't it? Google "Joe Kittinger" and you will get quite a few hits, including video of his jump.

I've read that he used to kid Chuck Yeager that Chuck was really the second man to break the sound barrier, and had the luxury of having a plane.

Tad
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vermin
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#5
In reply to #4

Re: The Satelloons

10/13/2007 12:55 AM

I still don't understand why this hasn't become an extreme sport. I would think there would be a lot of people that would really get a rush from the speed generated by a sub-orbital free fall! And the materials are so much better today, too!!!

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Tad
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#6
In reply to #5

Re: The Satelloons

10/13/2007 10:03 AM

I would think that it would be extremely expensive.

The funny thing is, that he reported that he felt no sense of falling until he reached lower altitudes. The atmosphere is so thin, there is no sensation of wind rushing by. He was so far up that stuff on the ground did not change that much in perspective as he fell. When he looked up at the balloon he said that it felt like he was stationary, but the balloon was shooting up into outer space.


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#8
In reply to #5

Re: The Satelloons

10/13/2007 10:49 AM

From about 1956 until 1964, US aeronautics engineers and rocket scientists...

Hmmmmm..... Roswellian.

Vermin do they make a suit that fits your shape? You should be the second.

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vermin
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#9
In reply to #8

Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 12:07 AM

If they did, I'd do it in a heart-beat! Even if something went wrong, what a glorious way to go!!!

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Kris
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#10
In reply to #9

Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 2:00 AM

Don't risk it, you might get stuck in the Toy Box.

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vermin
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#11
In reply to #10

Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 6:46 AM

That would be cool, too!

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Kris
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#12
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Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 7:09 AM

According to a vid link on one of CR4s threads, astronauts freeze their doo-doo, and send it back towards Earth where it burns up on re-entry. So when you see a shooting star and make a wish, hope to hell it burns up before it hits you. I wonder if it's true that you could be killed by a block of ice from a passenger plane !

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Kris
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#13
In reply to #5

Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 7:16 AM

Get some d30 ! I saw some guy hammering his own shins the other day and it seemed to work real good. Wrapping yourself in a strong plastic bag might be a wise precaution to help re-construction.

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#14
In reply to #13

Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 10:05 AM

That's cool. I need some! Just for the thumb on my right hand though. Pesky 16oz hammers ya' know.

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#15
In reply to #14

Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 1:49 PM

Ouch ! A d30 bandanna may be helpful for those 'may as well bash my forehead against a wall' moments'. Either that, or a d30 hammer for hitting people with.

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#16
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Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 3:34 PM

Kris,

It is not that I don't like your new avatar. It is, well, cutesy. I am just having a rough time assimilating.

Is it an evil squirrel?

cr3

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#17
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Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 9:59 PM

Dear CR3,

I have just looked at that picture. You are so badly dead that I have never seen the like. Do not close your eyes tonight, do not even murmur 'hazelnuts'. The 'starchild - skull' , 'Lucy', any which one you can name is going to be gnawed to bits ! I'd been contemplating a comment upon your rapid evolutionary progress (* picture 3 ). Forget it man - you are squirrel meat ! Squirrel Nurtkin and his kin will gnaw your nuts to nits. If need be, agent vermin will be deployed. You can run ,but you can't hide - even if you have a 2" skin. Exactly how many T's are in existence ? Not many ! It could be fewer soon ! The squirrels shall inherit the Earth,

I love you really, but grab a copy of Sqirrel Nutkin. Read or die man !

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#18
In reply to #17

Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 10:07 PM

Call 'em off! Uncle! Uncle!

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#19
In reply to #18

Re: The Satelloons

10/14/2007 10:15 PM

LOL ! You have contacts in low place then. I dread to even ask what beret he's wearing. It's green, and that's all I need to know..............................

ps -Brit Paras and you'd have a scrap. Sandy coloured berets, and you wouldn't even show that red-eyed face !

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#7

Re: The Satelloons

10/13/2007 10:37 AM

Interesting, but the balloons they are talking about were placed in orbit around the earth, they were so bright at night as they raced around the earth!

I remember seeing them while on holiday in France in the late 50's or early 60's, I forget which.........

They were placed there with a rocket, not with helium or hydrogen!

A better link with more detail and far more photos is here:-

http://greg.org/archive/2007/10/07/the_satelloons_of_project_echo_must_find_satelloons.html

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