Russian test-pilot to realize a jump from space without parachute

Russian test-pilot of Gromov Aeronautics Test Centre, Hero of Russia, Air Forces colonel, Magomed Tolboev has offered a project of a human being jump from space without parachute. With this project he appeared before journalists on Thursday. According to Tolboev, he himself is ready to realize it. “Though, to realize this jump, some preliminary investigation with dummy is necessary,” – he noticed.

In particular, Tolboev supposes, on the first stage, the dummy with sensors should be threatened from aerostat, from a height of 1 km. The second stage should be a height of 40-50 km. After the studying results of the jumps and the reading of the devices, Tolboev is ready to repeat the jump.

According to him, this should be a world record. Only after that preliminary jumps, he is ready to realize a similar jump from a space ship or from a space station. “This is the main aim of the project,” –he said.

While speaking with journalists, the 50-year-old test-pilot noticed that in Russia “an inflatable breaking device” had been invented. Actually, the jump is intended to be realized with its help. “The device is fixed on the back, like a rucksack, and during the fall, it opens in a proper moment as a shuttlecock, therefore the fall becomes directed, while landing becomes soft,” – Tolboev added.

The inflatable breaking device was tested in 2000-2001, while threatening some valuable goods from Mir space station before sinking it, RIA ‘Novosti’ reports. “The first and the second loads (20 kg and 200 kg) showed that the invention is safe: the goods had any scratch. At that time, nothing was reported about it in the press,” – the test-pilot said. According to Tolboev, a device like that could be used as a “safety device” on high-rise buildings. In extreme situations (the buildings over 14 stores), when fire-cock cannot be used, people could easily leave the building “through air.”

“I would like to talk to Moscow administration, for in Moscow high-rise buildings of Moscow-City are being built,” – he said. Tolboev supposes the jump project will cost 2 million dollars, while jumps from aerostat – about 50-100 thousand dollars. The test-pilot believes the project is realizable, however a human being in space-suit with the device on his back must enter the upper stratum of atmosphere with a speed of 8 km a second.

Translated by Vera Solovieva

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