Michel Fournier is about to make the greatest leap of his , and anyone else ’s , life . On Sunday , the 64 - twelvemonth - old retired Gallic U. S. Army officer will fly almost 25 mi into the sky in a giant balloon , step out of a pressurized capsule and plunge headfirst towards the earth , hang glide through the atmosphere for an estimated 15 proceedings .
A set can go wrong when you ’re trying to give 130,000 feet up in the airwave . At above 40,000 feet , there ’s no longer enough O to breathe . At 12 miles up , the airwave pressure can make pedigree to churn . Fournier will be taking the trip in a particular space suit , but if it malfunctions , he ’ll be dead within seconds .
If he makes it , Fournier will set records for falling the foresighted , farthest and fastest of anyone in history . The fall will be the cumulation of 20 yr of research and physical and aroused preparation . To pay for his training and equipment , Fournier has sold almost all his belongings and spent roughly $ 20 million , mostly raise from individual contribution .
Fournier has insisted that he ’s not free falling to break world records . And though the data call for from the jump could have ramifications on aerospace escape subroutine , many indicate that there is very footling to be gained scientifically .
Rather , this experimentation believably has its roots in something much more introductory and instinctual , despite its decidedly high - technical school makeup . Fournier is out to fulfill his all - too - human need to find and , hopefully , overstep his own limitations . [ NYTimesandLe Grand Saut ]
AtmospheremortalityScienceskydivingSpace
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