7:35am MDT - Felix is in the capsule now prebreathing pure oxygen. He does that for up to two hours to rid his body of nitrogen, so that he doesn't get the bends. He could be sitting in that suit for up to five hours, though, depending on delays. People in the media center have clustered around the various flat screen tvs, hoping for some sign of inflation.
7:26am MDT - Mayor Del Jurney tells me they were pleased when they learned Red Bull had chosen Roswell for the site of the Stratos launch. After all, he says, space started in Roswell when Robert Goddard developed rocket fuel jet engine propulsion so it's only appropriate Red Bull establish history once again here. Among Roswell's assets: "beautiful skies, great weather, not a lot of air traffic, a premiere runway" (it's actually a back-up site for landing the shuttle) and, I just learned, the world's largest mozzarella factory!
7:20am MDT - 7:15 am MDT - Among the handful of locals beginning to gather on the second floor of the Red Bull media center: an attorney, a fifth grade science teacher, and the mayor of Roswell. Others have pulled their cars up to the perimeter of the 5000-acre site, which has been tightly secured by Red Bull. It shouldn't be hard to see the balloon even from there, since it's roughly the size of a flying football field.
6:53am MDT - The Red Bull Media center is a two-story building with floor-to-ceiling plexiglass windows looking over the airfield, just yards away from an identical building that houses mission control. People are alternately hunched over laptops at rows of tables or idly standing around with coffee (very little Red Bull broken out yet, though it's in ample supply). Now it's just a waiting game until the "go" for inflation, but people seem relaxed and confident it will happen this time.
6:25am MDT - One more interesting fact about the suit Felix is using: There are two of them, S02 and S03. The second suit is laid out and ready to go should there be a problem with the suit he's wearing now. Just like for U-2 and SR-71 pilots, redundancy is critical. "You don't delay or cancel a mission because you don't have a back-up suit," McCarter says.
6:12am MDT - Just had a great chat with Dan McCarter and Jack Bassick of the David Clark Company, which made Felix's suit. They're here to watch the launch, too. Felix's suit is actually based on an Air Force pressure suit, McCarter tells me. Because a USAF pilot is typically in a seated position, with one arm angled to reach the throttle and the other holding the yoke, they had to redesign the suit with more mobility at the hip and shoulder joints. The exterior cover of Felix's suit also covers his entire body, including his boots, whereas the USAF cover stops at the thighs (and then the restraint layer contains the pressure). The U-2 program office is considering developing a next-gen full-pressure suit with some of these modification, McCarter says.
6:03am MDT - We're on weather hold until 6:45am, but we're told mission control is very optimistic about the weather at that time. That places a launch at 8:45am.
5:27am MDT - Felix arrived on site at about 2:30am. At that point he goes right into a very prescribed routine. His human-performance director Andy Walsh-the guy who's worked most closely with Felix on his physical and mental training-says that routine is what helps him keep his focus. He's now in his suit but it's not yet pressurized.
5:14am MDT - We can see inside mission control on closed circuit tv here in the media center. Three rows of people are in position, including Art Thompson, the technical director, and Joe Kittinger, who will be the CAPCOM, or capsule communicator, throughout the flight and Felix's jump. During the flight four large screens will show Felix or the Earth from different angles. Right now they're showing the balloon team's progress on the tarmac. Once again, I'm kicking myself for forgetting my binoculars!
5:02am MDT - T-minus 2 hours and 30 minutes until launch. Felix has begun suiting up. The balloon team from ATA is unspooling the balloon on the tarmac.
4:53am MDT - This balloon is three times the size of the largest balloon ever used for manned flight, and it's made of polyethylene only 0.0008 inches thick. Once the balloon rises from the airfield the flight train will be a teardrop 700 feet tall, which is why it's so important the winds at 700 feet remain only about 2mph for launch. Remember, there's no spare balloon on site this time.
4:48am MDT - Permission to layout balloon granted! Weather hold lifted. That doesn't mean inflation will begin soon, but it means we're one step closer. They do not want to stretch that balloon unnecessarily.
4:30am MDT - Weather hold due to high winds at 700-800 feet-- the level of the top of the inflated balloon-- just like Tuesday. The balloon remains unpacked and Felix, unsuited. That said, he's on site and has already inspected the capsule. If they get a window at all, they're primed to go for it. Expect a launch-- or final go/no-go call-- by 9am.
4:18am MDT - Security was extremely tight at the Roswell International Air Center this morning for Felix Baumgartner's second attempt at skydiving from 123,000 feet above sea level. The Red Bull Stratos crew has been onsite for hours now preparing for launch. Media briefing in a few minutes.
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