Holly’s Space

Michel Fournier a french adventurer age 64, attempted to break a world skydiving record last Tuesday at Battleford, Saskatchewan. He had hoped to break the record for the worlds fastest and longest free fall. At the same time he also hoped to break the record for the highest parachute jump, the highest balloon flight and also he wanted to bring back some information to help astronauts and others survive in high altitudes.

It was all ready for him to attempt. He had a $200 000 helium balloon in which he hoped would take him to a height of 130 000feet (39 624metres). This is around the equivalent of four Mount Everest’s on top of each other or about three times higher than what a commercial jetliner flies.

So the huge helium balloon was to be attached to a capsule in which he would free-fall from and break the world record. But unfortunately it somehow became unattached from the capsule and just floated up and up. Michel Fournier had to just stand there and watch as he chances floated up towards space.

I think that Michel Fournier would have been absolutely devastated. To see his chances of breaking the world record and $200 000 floating away into space, he would have been very annoyed and sad. Although I did actually find it quite funny but I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have. I also think Michel Fournier is very brave for even wanting to try this, I know for sure I never would have.

Here is a website I found with an article about it. This is where I got most of my information from-http://www.insidesocal.com/dailylink/2008/05/skydivers_chance_at_world_reco.html

I also found a video of it which is on this website. It was part of a news program which is all about this disaster-http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_skin/1803758