my latest Popular Science about a couple of guys that are planning on offering skydiving from over 100,000 feet (30,480M) in two years and in something like 10 years from 60 miles (316,800 feet or 96,560M). At that altitude, it's no longer skydiving - it's space diving.
They were talking about speeds of up to 2,100 MPH (3,380KPH - or some multiple of Mach), G-forces of up to 4G, and temperatures of up to 400 or 600 degrees F (204 - 315C). The total fall would take about 10 minutes.
The 2,100MPH speed would be reached early in the fall while there isn't much air. Once the air got denser, the suit would heat up and slow down from the friction to a more manageable 120MPH or so. This would be the point of most G-forces.
Sounds pretty intense. |
