http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-24/us-firm-takes-balloon-rides-to-new-heights/5041810

US firm to take balloon rides to new heights 30km above Earth

A US firm is offering rides in a helium balloon that takes passengers 30 kilometres up to marvel at the curvature of the Earth.

The Arizona-based company World View Enterprises said in a statement the trip will cost $US75,000 (about $77,800) and travellers will stay aloft for about two hours in an eight-seat “luxuriously appointed space-qualified capsule”.

The capsule will ultimately detach from the balloon and glide to the earth with a parachute.

The flights are scheduled to start in three years.
—-
“They will be able to gaze at the astounding views, the blackness of space, the brilliance of stars and the thin veil of atmosphere enveloping our planet – scenes previously witnessed exclusively by astronauts – for $75,000.”
—-

Seems a bit exy.

Also, it is not really true that scenes 30 km up have only previously been witnessed exclusively by astronauts.

I’d strongly advise against anyone here invest in this Company.

This is a high risk 30 kilometre drug fuelled thought bubble by a latter day Arthur Daley looking for a nice little earner.

>>The capsule will ultimately detach from the balloon and glide to the earth with a parachute.<<

Sounds like the balloon and the punters are disposable.

Coming down to earth is always a problem for drug addled inventors and entrepreneurs.

So in short I wont be investing in this project no matter how many threads DV starts about it or how much he gets paid to start them.

Good day Sir.

dv said:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-24/us-firm-takes-balloon-rides-to-new-heights/5041810

US firm to take balloon rides to new heights 30km above Earth

A US firm is offering rides in a helium balloon that takes passengers 30 kilometres up to marvel at the curvature of the Earth.

The Arizona-based company World View Enterprises said in a statement the trip will cost $US75,000 (about $77,800) and travellers will stay aloft for about two hours in an eight-seat “luxuriously appointed space-qualified capsule”.

The capsule will ultimately detach from the balloon and glide to the earth with a parachute.

The flights are scheduled to start in three years.
—-
“They will be able to gaze at the astounding views, the blackness of space, the brilliance of stars and the thin veil of atmosphere enveloping our planet – scenes previously witnessed exclusively by astronauts – for $75,000.”
—-

Seems a bit exy.

Also, it is not really true that scenes 30 km up have only previously been witnessed exclusively by astronauts.

Yeah, I think I’ll settle for 10 km up and a non-luxurious seat for about $100.

The Rev Dodgson said:

dv said:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-24/us-firm-takes-balloon-rides-to-new-heights/5041810

US firm to take balloon rides to new heights 30km above Earth

A US firm is offering rides in a helium balloon that takes passengers 30 kilometres up to marvel at the curvature of the Earth.

The Arizona-based company World View Enterprises said in a statement the trip will cost $US75,000 (about $77,800) and travellers will stay aloft for about two hours in an eight-seat “luxuriously appointed space-qualified capsule”.

The capsule will ultimately detach from the balloon and glide to the earth with a parachute.

The flights are scheduled to start in three years.
—-
“They will be able to gaze at the astounding views, the blackness of space, the brilliance of stars and the thin veil of atmosphere enveloping our planet – scenes previously witnessed exclusively by astronauts – for $75,000.”
—-

Seems a bit exy.

Also, it is not really true that scenes 30 km up have only previously been witnessed exclusively by astronauts.

Yeah, I think I’ll settle for 10 km up and a non-luxurious seat for about $100.

exxy, but probably not as difficult as astronaut training.

To get above some weather an aircraft I was on went to 42500 feet (about 13km)
In theory curvature is visible from about 35000 feet but I didn’t notice it at 42500 but maybe it was because I wasn’t looking for it.

dv said:

The capsule will ultimately detach from the balloon and glide to the earth with a parachute.

Holy crap what a criminal waste of helium!!

Was thinking about a ride into space on a rocket, perhaps a Canadian Black Brant, but getting timid in my old age so perhaps 30 km up is high enough. It’d be cheaper, too.

Spiny Norman said:

dv said:

The capsule will ultimately detach from the balloon and glide to the earth with a parachute.

Holy crap what a criminal waste of helium!!

+1

you could make your own ride by simply getting some caustic soda and aluminium and making hydrogen instead

inflate a large balloon with hydrogen and ride upwards in a pressure suit and a parachute, why would you bother with some capsule?

it would be a fraction of the price doing it yourself

Spiny Norman said:

dv said:

The capsule will ultimately detach from the balloon and glide to the earth with a parachute.

Holy crap what a criminal waste of helium!!

I said something like that earlier in chat.

mollwollfumble said:

Was thinking about a ride into space on a rocket, perhaps a Canadian Black Brant, but getting timid in my old age so perhaps 30 km up is high enough. It’d be cheaper, too.

you’d need to build one and wear a pressure suit (don’t bother trying to pressurise the cockpit)

a swing wing rocket would allow you to glide back to earth and land on a road or deserted airstrip

the autopilot system could be a DIY drones type and ideally you’d need to develop it to land the thing

wookiemeister said:

you could make your own ride by simply getting some caustic soda and aluminium and making hydrogen instead

inflate a large balloon with hydrogen and ride upwards in a pressure suit and a parachute, why would you bother with some capsule?

it would be a fraction of the price doing it yourself

If I were going to go to high altitude in a balloon only to jump out to return to the Earth, that’s what I’d do as well. You have to wear the pressure suit anyway, why bother with a capsule?
A simple lightweight alloy recliner chair would be more than enough.

Spiny Norman said:

wookiemeister said:

you could make your own ride by simply getting some caustic soda and aluminium and making hydrogen instead

inflate a large balloon with hydrogen and ride upwards in a pressure suit and a parachute, why would you bother with some capsule?

it would be a fraction of the price doing it yourself

If I were going to go to high altitude in a balloon only to jump out to return to the Earth, that’s what I’d do as well. You have to wear the pressure suit anyway, why bother with a capsule?
A simple lightweight alloy recliner chair would be more than enough.

I’ve often thought about doing it

I’ve looked around on the net for pressure suits but have only ever found chinese ones

the tumbling thing would be a problem though, you’d need to have something that stabilised your motion when falling or tumbling would send the blood to your feet and head

wookiemeister said:

Spiny Norman said:

wookiemeister said:

you could make your own ride by simply getting some caustic soda and aluminium and making hydrogen instead

inflate a large balloon with hydrogen and ride upwards in a pressure suit and a parachute, why would you bother with some capsule?

it would be a fraction of the price doing it yourself

If I were going to go to high altitude in a balloon only to jump out to return to the Earth, that’s what I’d do as well. You have to wear the pressure suit anyway, why bother with a capsule?
A simple lightweight alloy recliner chair would be more than enough.

I’ve often thought about doing it

I’ve looked around on the net for pressure suits but have only ever found chinese ones

I put a fair bit of research into it a few years ago – I was seriously considering organising an attempt – and decided to just use either a US suit or maybe Russian. Much easier and reliable to just buy one rather than try to make one.

wookiemeister said:

the tumbling thing would be a problem though, you’d need to have something that stabilised your motion when falling or tumbling would send the blood to your feet and head

I solved that – Just hang on to a long carbon fibre pole that looks like a huge arrow. No need to strap onto it, hanging on would be fine in the thin air.

Spiny Norman said:

wookiemeister said:

Spiny Norman said:

If I were going to go to high altitude in a balloon only to jump out to return to the Earth, that’s what I’d do as well. You have to wear the pressure suit anyway, why bother with a capsule?
A simple lightweight alloy recliner chair would be more than enough.

I’ve often thought about doing it

I’ve looked around on the net for pressure suits but have only ever found chinese ones

I put a fair bit of research into it a few years ago – I was seriously considering organising an attempt – and decided to just use either a US suit or maybe Russian. Much easier and reliable to just buy one rather than try to make one.

yes buying something reliable would be better

making the hydrogen would be a doddle (keep static low and make sure no oxygen is in the brew)

the balloon could be made from existing fabric

you’d just hang underneath and release when you reach a certain height

Spiny Norman said:

wookiemeister said:

the tumbling thing would be a problem though, you’d need to have something that stabilised your motion when falling or tumbling would send the blood to your feet and head

I solved that – Just hang on to a long carbon fibre pole that looks like a huge arrow. No need to strap onto it, hanging on would be fine in the thin air.

you might have it strapped to your feet so you go down like an arrow?

It has pretty much been done:
Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner jumps from more than 24 miles above Earth, breaking the speed of sound before he releases his parachute. The 43-year-old broke the record for highest jump set by Joe Kittinger at 19.5 miles in 1960.

I did a freefall drop years ago from 13/14000 feet? didn’t do much for me, didn’t get the rush, I was more concerned about the parachute opening (I hadn’t packed it and was therefore suspicious)

wookiemeister said:

Spiny Norman said:

wookiemeister said:

I’ve often thought about doing it

I’ve looked around on the net for pressure suits but have only ever found chinese ones

I put a fair bit of research into it a few years ago – I was seriously considering organising an attempt – and decided to just use either a US suit or maybe Russian. Much easier and reliable to just buy one rather than try to make one.

yes buying something reliable would be better

making the hydrogen would be a doddle (keep static low and make sure no oxygen is in the brew)

the balloon could be made from existing fabric

you’d just hang underneath and release when you reach a certain height

Yeah I planned to use helium to get it off the ground, then once well clear add pure hydrogen gassed-off from bottled liquid hydrogen. Do that above the minimum height that it would be possible to parachute away safely from the contraption.

wookiemeister said:

Spiny Norman said:

wookiemeister said:

the tumbling thing would be a problem though, you’d need to have something that stabilised your motion when falling or tumbling would send the blood to your feet and head

I solved that – Just hang on to a long carbon fibre pole that looks like a huge arrow. No need to strap onto it, hanging on would be fine in the thin air.

you might have it strapped to your feet so you go down like an arrow?

Nah just put your feet in stirrup thingies on the bottom, hang on further up with your hands. Don’t make it any more complicated than it has to be.

Tamb said:

It has pretty much been done:
Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner jumps from more than 24 miles above Earth, breaking the speed of sound before he releases his parachute. The 43-year-old broke the record for highest jump set by Joe Kittinger at 19.5 miles in 1960.

That’s the other reason I didn’t pursue it, though the way I worked it I would have gone higher.

I say that you the balloon is just a balloon, don’t have any contraption attached because when the balloon bursts the contraption could fall on something / someone – they would hammer you for negligence if it hit anything

you could be attached by one strap that could be released

the suit would be made so it could bear the weight of your body without cutting blood off

Spiny Norman said:

Tamb said:

It has pretty much been done:
Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner jumps from more than 24 miles above Earth, breaking the speed of sound before he releases his parachute. The 43-year-old broke the record for highest jump set by Joe Kittinger at 19.5 miles in 1960.

That’s the other reason I didn’t pursue it, though the way I worked it I would have gone higher.

but how many people have done it?

wookiemeister said:

I say that you the balloon is just a balloon, don’t have any contraption attached because when the balloon bursts the contraption could fall on something / someone – they would hammer you for negligence if it hit anything

you could be attached by one strap that could be released

the suit would be made so it could bear the weight of your body without cutting blood off

That’s an interesting idea ….

wookiemeister said:

Spiny Norman said:

Tamb said:

It has pretty much been done:
Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner jumps from more than 24 miles above Earth, breaking the speed of sound before he releases his parachute. The 43-year-old broke the record for highest jump set by Joe Kittinger at 19.5 miles in 1960.

That’s the other reason I didn’t pursue it, though the way I worked it I would have gone higher.

but how many people have done it?
ne.

One.

Spiny Norman said:

wookiemeister said:

I say that you the balloon is just a balloon, don’t have any contraption attached because when the balloon bursts the contraption could fall on something / someone – they would hammer you for negligence if it hit anything

you could be attached by one strap that could be released

the suit would be made so it could bear the weight of your body without cutting blood off

That’s an interesting idea ….

you have an l shape bit of plastic that is strapped to you on the outside of the suit, its that that holds the weight of your body not the suit or your body

you could have a knife that you could use to cut the strap if the release mechanism wouldn’t work

you could make a model of the design

ie the man, the arrow shape and put an arduino module in the man to see how much he tumbles in the air after relase and if the arrow ever stabilises the man’s flight

wookiemeister said:

you could make a model of the design

ie the man, the arrow shape and put an arduino module in the man to see how much he tumbles in the air after relase and if the arrow ever stabilises the man’s flight

For sure it’d need testing but it’s a really simple design that would just have to work. The only unknown is how the aerodynamics would work as it went transonic.

Spiny Norman said:

wookiemeister said:

you could make a model of the design

ie the man, the arrow shape and put an arduino module in the man to see how much he tumbles in the air after relase and if the arrow ever stabilises the man’s flight

For sure it’d need testing but it’s a really simple design that would just have to work. The only unknown is how the aerodynamics would work as it went transonic.

you could always build up to a mansized dummy with a full size build and release that to test it, the pressure suit would be sent up over the dummy to see if it worked

once that was proven you’d have a go

wookiemeister said:

Spiny Norman said:

wookiemeister said:

you could make a model of the design

ie the man, the arrow shape and put an arduino module in the man to see how much he tumbles in the air after relase and if the arrow ever stabilises the man’s flight

For sure it’d need testing but it’s a really simple design that would just have to work. The only unknown is how the aerodynamics would work as it went transonic.

you could always build up to a mansized dummy with a full size build and release that to test it, the pressure suit would be sent up over the dummy to see if it worked

once that was proven you’d have a go

Yep. Boost it up with a rocket then monitor the drop.

Hey yeah … good point, SN.

They are going to do this regularly but don’t plan to recover the helium?

Why are they dropping by parachute? Why not just do a controlled descent using the balloon?

dv said:

Hey yeah … good point, SN.

They are going to do this regularly but don’t plan to recover the helium?

Why are they dropping by parachute? Why not just do a controlled descent using the balloon?

Fk yeah, just a small compressor to suck enough of the gas out to make it descend would be a much better way I reckon. As you get closer to the ground (AFAIK balloons like that are dynamically unstable with altitude changes, could be wrong though) just pump some back into the envelope to slow the descent.

you lot should start your own cheaper balloon crazy stuff company sounds like you can undercut the competition

I wonder how much public liability insurance would be for something like this?

Why bother doing the capsule thing when you could build a zeppelin type balloon and transport more people to the edge of space??

You could have a bigger more comfortable habitat and stay up there for days if need be

>>You could have a bigger more comfortable habitat and stay up there for days if need be

You could go up there man, up there where the atmospheric drag is bugger all and let the earth rotate below you so that you leave in the morning from Brisbane and come down in London the next day.

Peak Warming Man said:

>>You could have a bigger more comfortable habitat and stay up there for days if need be

You could go up there man, up there where the atmospheric drag is bugger all and let the earth rotate below you so that you leave in the morning from Brisbane and come down in London the next day.

I don’t think it works that way man

wookiemeister said:

Peak Warming Man said:

>>You could have a bigger more comfortable habitat and stay up there for days if need be

You could go up there man, up there where the atmospheric drag is bugger all and let the earth rotate below you so that you leave in the morning from Brisbane and come down in London the next day.

I don’t think it works that way man

There was a young lady from Bright,
who could travel much faster than light,
she left one day
in a relative way,
and arrived the previous night.

Hope this helps.

Peak Warming Man said:

>>You could have a bigger more comfortable habitat and stay up there for days if need be

You could go up there man, up there where the atmospheric drag is bugger all and let the earth rotate below you so that you leave in the morning from Brisbane and come down in London the next day.

trollololol