You need this one Felix

Seems to be a balloon day in Bakewell today!

My class have been talking about Felix Baumgartner all day since I told them what was happening. My head phoned me this morning to tell me about it (head teacher that is, I am not suffering from some sort of split personality) - I got very giddy. I had seen the test flight video months back, but had not realised that it was happening today.

Well, hopefully anyway. The launch was originally set for 13:00 GMT, but the weather is still holding it up as I type. If you want to go see the live stream go here, and this is the official web site. Here is a BBC report to give you an idea on what's going on. I did warn my class that it was a very risky thing to do, in the style of the great pioneers of science and adventure from yesteryear, and there was a chance he could explode. They took that off-the-cuff comment a bit literally and got even more excited :-| Ooops. Bad teacher!!

Given that this balloon was EXTREMELY low over our houses, maybe it isn't just Felix who should have delayed their take-off. I have a feeling it went down in a nearby field, not good given that it must have been all of a 3-minute flight.