Gadget & Tech

A group of space scientists who aren’t actually insane aim to give it a try by 2009, jumping from 120,000 feet in a specially designed space suit that looks like a buggy-rollin’ getup, but without those silly roller skates. The daredevils hope to develop the technique not only as a sport, but also as a possible escape route for astronauts in low Earth orbit.

After they’ve mastered the 120,000-foot jump, their ultimate goal is to engineer survivable jumps from 150 miles or even higher above the earth. In a controlled dive, the jumpers would reach blistering speeds of more than 2500 mph, and as they begin to enter the earth’s outer atmosphere, a special drogue shoot opens, stabilizing their descent and preventing uncontrolled tumbling which could be fatal.

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