Brilliant, but...
I wonder what it feels like to go 800+ MPH without a vehicle? At that altitude, I'll bet it's depressingly pedestrian unless you go into a spin...
However, the stated purpose seems odd. Do we need vehicle-less exploration of the stratosphere? It's not like high altitude biologists need to observe the mysterious denizens of the heights, right? How much data can a human observer gather that couldn't be gathered by instrument?
So, my guess is that part was for his spouse: "No really dear... It was for SCIENCE, not some silly joyride."
Biting the hand that feeds IT
