The tech behind Felix Baumgartner’s stratospheric skydive (opens in new tab)

(extremetech.com)

72 pointsmrsebastian13y ago9 comments

9 comments

js213y ago

Non-swipe link: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/137521-the-tech-behind-fe...

I've been curious for a long time why Ziff Davis devotes so much attention to spamming HN. And then today it clicked after I saw this story at the top or /r/technology submitted a couple hours after it was popular on HN.

HN provides a vector for popular spam submissions here to be legitimately submitted on Reddit, without all the hassle of spam detection and moderators getting in the way.

protomyth13y ago

This podcast has an interview that explains the camera tech used http://www.fxguide.com/therc/red_centre_073/

1 more reply

storborg13y ago

Here's a video overview of the (highly specialized) skydiving rig used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SErtpdKLsM4#t=5m20s

freeslave13y ago

i wonder what the final price tag on this was? has anyone seen a number put on it?

dkokelley13y ago

Whatever it is, I imagine it was well worth it for the primary sponsor, Red Bull. A lot of the tech was developed just for this jump, so it would be difficult to get a final price tag without including R&D costs (which are already tricky).

ashray13y ago

Yup, definitely worth it! Imagine almost 5 million people essentially watching an almost 3 hour long (very interesting and groundbreaking!) Red Bull commercial around the world.

I think if we did the math at base advertising/marketing rates - this project would still work out quite cheap for that kind of exposure!

Daring indeed!

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mkuhn13y ago

I have seen the number of around $50 million mentioned. But am not sure where anymore.

Big expense but the exposure is estimated to be worth hundreds of millions if not billions.

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