Bionic Brit Babbage Bear boards brilliant balloon, bests ballsy Baumgartner

We're delighted to report that Raspberry Pi mascot Babbage Bear wrested the world skydiving record crown from Felix Baumgartner on Monday - by leaping into the void from a breathtaking 39,000m. Stepping from his foam launch platform, Babbage took the plunge into the history books, pipping the Austrian's 38,969m jump, as this …

[Anonymous Blowhard]

I, for one, welcome our terrifyingly cuddly cybernetic ursine overlords!

[Richard Scratcher]

"...by leaping into the void from a breathtaking 39,000m. Stepping from his foam launch platform, Babbage took the plunge into the history books..."

Or was he pushed?

[andreas koch]

@ Richard Scratcher -

It was a voluntary deplatformation.

#

I was glued to the screen from start to touchdown on Saturday, but sadly had to skip yesterdays triumph. Just as nerve-wrecking as Apollo 11 or the WSC11*.

Congratulations to the team, especially Babbage and Dave!

*Only 38 days to wait for WSC13.

[Robert Helpmann??]

Watch That First Step

Or was he pushed?

No, but why he would jump from of a perfectly working balloon I just don't understand.

[Fatman]

RE: Or was he pushed?

It would cause no shedding of tears on my part, if the esteemed Microsoft CEO were to exit in the same fashion (i.e. a long fall from grace).

[Andrew Torrance]

Surely he beat the other record too ? The one for the highest jump without oxygen . I feel the guinness book of records needs to be contacted.

[daveake]

I contacted them before when I got the "highest images transmitted by an amateur over radio", but they turned me down. So .... stuff 'em.

[Anonymous Custard]

Magnetic attraction

Anyone who's ever launched a stratomission - or indeed a humble RC aircraft - knows they are magnetically drawn to trees

Although in some more unfortunate cases seaweed seems to have a similar effect - RIP playmonaut.

Anyway nice one Dave et al, beer all round.

[Roger Greenwood]

Knowing what was inside the bear . . .

. . should he not now be referred to as a pimonaut?

[Lester Haines]

Re: Knowing what was inside the bear . . .

Very good. Dave?

[John Brown (no body)]

Who ate all the Pi's

Now we know. And it gives you gas.

Then you fall off the wagon.

Well done all, bears beers all 'round.

[Evil Auditor]

Hypersonic bear

Well done, Babbage and Dave!

Babbage, would you mind next time to slip into a streamlined suit and attempt to tackle the Austrian's free, hypersonic fall as well? I'm sure, you're up to it!

[Anonymous Coward]

Potential Serious Issues here

I hope that bear is of a legal age to do this sort of thing, and that you guys have all the necessary consent forms plus a few.

When PETB catch up with this....

[Evil Auditor]

Re PETB

People for the Eating of Tasty Bears? Who the heck eats bears?!

Pinguin, 'cause bears ate all of them in the northern hemisphere.

[Robert Moore]

Re: Re PETB

Bear is darn tasty.

Many people throughout the world eat bear.

FYI: I hear penguin tastes terrible.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I hear penguin tastes terrible.

Not at all.

Once you get through the silver paper, and if you don't mind your chocolate somewhat on the sweet side, it doesn't taste bad at all

[VinceH]

Optional

"and camera surgically implanted into his right eye socket..."

Bah! Should have been his left eye!

[daveake]

Re: Optional

I know! Sadly I didn't think of that till after I'd done the deed.

[VinceH]

Re: Optional

I shall forgive you due to the sheer excellence of it all.

[Irony Deficient]

magnetically drawn to trees

Surely the principle at work must be dendronic attraction? Have you considered including a lodestick of reversed polarity in the payload, to repel the arboreal influences emanating from trees?

[Lester Haines]

Re: magnetically drawn to trees

An interesting concept. Do you have a material in mind for this lodestick?

[Irony Deficient]

Re: magnetically drawn to trees

Lester, the best material for lodesticks would of course be petrified wood, as a general purpose tree repellent. Otherwise, the lodestick material would need to be of wood of a particular species chosen to repel a particular type of tree, if you know which types of trees have tended to attract your stratomissions to date. In the latter case, I’d recommend consulting with experts, such as local druids who are familiar with tree lore.

[Lester Haines]

Re: Re: magnetically drawn to trees

Well, I don't think it's practical to have a species-specific tree repellent, so we need the generic model.

[smudge]

Re: magnetically drawn to trees

dendronic attraction???

He's a bear, and he very probably wanted to have a shit in the woods.

I know I would if I'd been up in that balloon.

Many congratulations to Dave and the team. I watched it yesterday - rivetting viewing, and a fantastic achievement!

[Eclectic Man]

Re: magnetically drawn to trees

"He's a bear, and he very probably wanted to have a shit in the woods"

Frankly, were I facing the prospect of being dropped from an altitude of 39,000 metres, I doubt I could have waited for the woods before having a sh*t. Ted is clearly made of strong stuff.

Congratulations to all concerned.

Is there any chance that Ted and Felix will meet up for a joint photo-shoot and to share their experiences?

[ItsNotMe]

Re: magnetically drawn to trees

You should also consider one of those "Flying Squirrel" Suits for Lord Babbage (I'm sure HRH will be contacting him soon for his feat) for his next venture into the Stratosphere.

With that...and some well placed/designed servos...he could avoid the arboreal hazards, and land comfortably on his paws on Terra Firma.

[Anonymous Coward]

A sad misappropriation of valuable resources!

Think of the societal good that could have been done with the time and energy that were brought to bear......

(Dons spacesuit in anticipation of being "voluntarily" blown out an airlock)

[Ian Yates]

Re: A sad misappropriation of valuable resources!

I feel like I've wandered in to a BBC HYS...

[Wiltshire]

A small step for Babbage Bear...

.. a giant leap for Teddy-Bear-kind