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Old 29th Mar 2005, 10:34
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ChristopherRobin
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
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I can't find the video after a quick search, but I have seen it and it is extraordinary...he just hops off and disappears tumbling because he is going so fast. Here's a picture though -

And although the intrepid Colonel did jump from a very great height, it wasn't orbital altitude, although it is likely that the same could be done from that level.

The problem would come is if you actually were orbiting in which case you would re-enter at approx 15000 mph and then burn up. Coming straight down like Joe Kittinger did is not a problem up to a point; Apollo astronauts travelling to the moon left earth orbit at approx 25000 mph, but on their coast to the moon were continually being slowed down by the earth's gravity.

So much so, in fact, that by the time they crossed over the point where the moon's gravity was a greater influence than the earth's, they were "only" doing 1000 mph!

So if you jumped from that height I imagine the reverse would be true and you would accelerate towards the earth until you re-entered at approx 24000 mph.

So I suppose there is some upper limit to what height one can jump from, but I can't be @rsed to work it out.
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