

The Story of John Paul Stapp, “The Fastest Man on Earth” (2003) - kibwen
http://www.ejectionsite.com/stapp.htm

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drivingmenuts
Sometimes I think it would be neat if there were more people like Lt. Col.
Stapp and then I remember that they took all that punishment and technology
evolved so we don't need to risk humans like that anymore.

But still, a brief bit of fame because you are crazier than everyone else and
yet sane enough to produce brilliant work.

Wish I was like that.

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cafard
Wasn't Murphy's law formulated after a technician plugged sensors into one of
these sled pointing the wrong way?

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jloughry
_Wasn 't Murphy's law formulated after a technician plugged sensors into one
of these sled pointing the wrong way?_

The exact same problem occurred in 2004 when the _Genesis_ space probe sample
return capsule returned to earth without its parachute. It hit the ground
rather hard as you can see here:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Genesis_crash_site_scenery...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Genesis_crash_site_scenery.jpg)

    
    
        The Board determined the proximate (or direct) cause
        of the mishap to be that the G-switch sensors were in
        an inverted orientation, per an erroneous design, and
        were unable to sense sample return capsule deceleration
        during atmospheric entry and initiate parachute
        deployments [1].
    

The capsule was filled with extremely fragile silicon aerogel plates, which of
course shattered on impact, and I believe dirt got inside too. Surprisingly,
much data was recovered; that's what grad students are for.

[1] National Aeronautics and Space Administration. _Genesis_ Mishap
Investigation Board (MIB) Report, Volume I. 2005.

Edit: references

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Animats
There was a TV show, an early pseudodocumentary, about him in the 1950s, "The
Man and the Challenge". The intro shows the rocket sled.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdCf6TnYEcM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdCf6TnYEcM)

~~~
acqq
Apparently the original footage of him is here. Warning: he is shown after the
crash, eyes bleeding.

v[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4tuvOer_GI&t=3m](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4tuvOer_GI&t=3m)

Also real documentary footage:

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XztU1bhQD7M](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XztU1bhQD7M)

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kibwen
A fascinating insight into the fearlessness (recklessness?) of the human test
subjects of yore.

Source: [http://whatif.xkcd.com/116/](http://whatif.xkcd.com/116/)

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joshdance
This is flat out and amazing story. What an explorer!

