to wonder why you would want to freefall 24 miles out of the sky?

[catinwitchyboots]

Don't get me wrong. I'm dead impressed. It is admirable.

But why? Why would you want to do that? It can't have been enjoyable.

[catinwitchyboots]

Oh. Just watching the news.

Space research apparently

[SugariceAndScary]

We watched it and I said the same thing, Why would you risk your life and it being on the telly too.

I kept leaving the room until he deployed his chute, it was a bit nervy to watch!

[UnChartered]

because you can?

i have idea what would spur an individual to do this being the worlds biggest scaredy cat but imagine you you could!

i'm still in awe now, and not really believing we watched it happen.

[weegiemum]

I think he's nuts. But I'd love to see the earth from space like that

[Shakey1500]

Because it's there

[Portofino]

Mad!!

[AnyaKnowIt]

Space research
To see what effect it would have on the human body
Save lives if another Challenger disaster happens

[MrsKeithRichards]

Why not?

[ArtfulAardvark]

Oh thank goodness I am not the only person who felt like this! I said to DH "You never see women doing stupid pointless sh*t like this"

[FreakySnuckerCupidStunt]

Artful, it was for research. Just because you don't understand why he did it, doesn't mean it was pointless.

[Woozley]

For shits and giggles.

[catinwitchyboots]

I prefer Sambuca for my shits and giggles

[bureni]

I would love to do that just for the buzz.

[McHappyPants2012]

i think it is truely amazing. he must have balls of steal.

i was in awe watching it

[monsterchild]

I thought it was totally awesome! I would do it. But I probably can't get anyone to pay for all that equipment for me. And the farthest I've jumped has been about 5 feet. So not likely I'd get picked.

But still, very cool. However I think space tech needs to get OUT of the gravity well and start doing stuff in space itself. (big Sci-Fi nut here)

[JennerOSity]

YABU - why not? Wish I had the guts to do something as scary as that - imagine how life-affirming and confidence building it would be. Not to mention just basically awesome seeing things in a way no-one ever gets to see normally. Nothing would ever be daunting ever again!

I watched the 'live' feed - there was a 20 sec delay on transmission so I doubt it would have been shown if he had died in the attempt.

[Kewcumber]

Because he doesn't like knitting and he gets to be on telly. That would be DS's reasons but then, he is 7.

[Woozley]

I'd like the 15 minute parachute ride at the end, not sure about a 4 minute freefall... I have jumped off a 6000ft+ mountain in Turkey attached to a man and a parachute, well, not jumped so much as flown/glided, and would do that again. I wouldn't take it up as a hobby but I would do it again.

[McHappyPants2012]

my brother did a sky dive and now he is hooked, want to do it again but higher.

I was very proud of him as he did it to raise money for a children charity

[msrisotto]

Yabu.
Why not? I'd do it if extreme sky diving was my thing. I've done a regular sky dive before and it was fine but I don't really feel compelled to do it again. Some people are adrenaline junkies.

[R2PeePoo]

YABU- People do much stupider and scary things for less worthy reasons.

Plenty of them women as well.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

He actually said that the only thing going through his mind when he jumped was getting home safely and not dying in front of his parents and girlfriends. Don't buy that... If all he'd wanted was to get home safely he'd have got on a bus, not a balloon into space.

[Fakebook]

I dunno, for the view?

[Ephiny]

I can absolutely understand why you would, when I saw him standing in the doorway ready to dive, it looked the most awesome thing I've ever seen.

I used to skydive (obviously not from space :)) and it is an incredible experience.

[Orwellian]

For the same reason that people want to squeeze something the size of a watermelon through their vagina. Each to their own.