The Stratos Connection

As I write this Felix Baumgartner is ascending to 120,000 feet in the Red Bull Stratos project's attempt to make the highest and fastest skydive in human history. They're calling it the "space jump" (although space isn't technically considered to begin until about 60+ miles in altitude) and its very likely when Baumgartner leaves his capsule, being lofted to nearly 23 miles by a helium balloon, he'll become the first human to exceed the speed of sound during free-fall. Sounds like an intimidating ride, as is any attempt to do something higher, faster, further, and generally to greater limits than has ever been accomplished.

The Red Bull Stratos project is pushing the boundaries of manned balloon flying and parachute assisted descent by humans. Would you be surprised if I told you that both of these subjects have roots in New Jersey? (You are after all reading this blog!) I'm still working to gather a good story of the parachuting history so for now here's a little story of...

Ballooning

New Jersey is in fact home to the landing site of the first manned balloon flight in the western hemisphere. It was January 9th, 1793 and a french balloonist named Jean-Pierre Blanchard (who I think is noteworthy for his disproportionately-sized head ) had come to demonstrate his flying abilities to (and collect spectator dollars from) the people of the still-young United States of America. Blanchard chose the nation's temporary capital of Philadelphia in which to demonstrate his hydrogen filled balloon. New Jersey history will eventually show first-hand that hydrogen may not be the best of fuels...ahem Hindenburg ahem. There was what I would call a "decent" crowd in attendance for the launch including: President George Washington, the Ambassador to France Chevalier Jean-Baptiste Ternant, future president John Adams, future president Thomas Jefferson, future president James Madison, future president James Monroe, and nearly the entire 28,500 inhabitants of Philadelphia.

Blanchard made the flight alone as he was reluctant to share and "First" credits with anyone else. He was accompanied, however, by a letter from the President stating that this man was authorized to make the first balloon flight in this country and that he was to be treated well wherever he may land. Blanchard spoke no English so this letter was quite necessary in a time when balloons were still a new technology and the news of his flight may not have made its way to the rural areas.

During the flight he ascended to 5,800 feet then began to drift south leading him toward his landing in Deptford, New Jersey, lasting about 45 minutes and covered a whopping 9 miles! Keep in mind though that this was an absolute marvel of technology. A man hovered over a mile away from the surface of the Earth! In fact its said that the first few people to come across him after he landed looked to the sky and thought he had come down from heaven. Unable to tell them otherwise in English he produced the letter from Washington and was well received. This is considered by many to be the first Air Mail delivery in the US.

And today Felix Baumgartner will ascent 20 times higher than the first balloon flight in this country. I don't think he carries a letter from the President this time. But he does have a spacesuit which is a lot cooler.

 

New Jersey has an active ballooning community 219 years after the first one landed in New Jersey and each July a festival is held in the norther part of the state at the Solberg Airport. I was able to attend the event in 2011 and although I'm drastically more a fan of powered flight I must admit that there's a feeling of complete giddiness involved in seeing dozens of colorful balloons ascend into the sky together in near silence, only the sounds of their propane burners causing you to focus on any one balloon.