Crew members work on the capsule seen during the preparation for the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, USA on October 4, 2012. Photo Credit: Jörg Mitter/Red Bull
. sport : Too Windy! Red Bull Stratos launch delay to Tuesday due to strong winds - 06 October 2012 - 07:29
RED BULL STRATOS. The three-day countdown for the Red Bull Stratos project starts with a one-day delay. The launch for the ultimate flight is postponed from Monday to Tuesday due to a cold front with overly strong winds.
Crew members work on the capsule seen during the preparation for the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, USA on October 4, 2012. Photo Credit: Jörg Mitter/Red Bull
ROSWELL, New Mexico (USA) – Felix Baumgartner just arrived at the base station of Red Bull Stratos, when he got the news from weather expert Don Day. The launch of the mission to the edge of space will not take place on Monday as scheduled, but most probably on Tuesday.
A crew member launches a weather balloon up to the stratosphere during the preparation for thefinal manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, USA on October 4, 2012. Photo Credit: Jörg Mitter/Red Bull
The reason for the delay is a strong cold front with sharply colder temperatures, low clouds and some drizzle that will be moving through eastern New Mexico over the weekend. While the weather will greatly improve on Monday with clearing skies and warmer temperatures, wind speeds are expected to be above acceptable levels for a safe launch on Monday morning. Wind speeds are forecast to be between 8 to 16 km/h/ 5 to 10 mph from the with winds above the ground at balloon top between 16 to 24 km/h/ 10 to 15 mph, Red Bull Stratos meteorologist Don Day explains. Baumgartner will launch with the largest manned balloon in history: 550 feet/ 168 meters high at the start with a volume of 30 million cubic feet/ 850.000 cubic meters!
“The good news is that we usually have a day or two after this type of cold front moves through where the weather can be favorable for a balloon launch“, Don Day says.
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria sits in his capsule during the preparations for the final manned flight of the Red Bull Stratos mission in Roswell, New Mexico, USA on October 5, 2012. Photo Credit: Jörg Mitter/Red Bull
The delay does not influence the preparations on site. In the dress rehearsal in the night from Friday to Saturday, Felix Baumgartner and the team will go through the 7-hour pre-launch procedure exactly as it will occur on Tuesday morning.
Red Bull Stratos
Sat, October 6, 2012