Three Russians made history by parachuting from the stratosphere to the North Pole (photo)

Three Russians set a world record and made history when they parachuted from Earth's stratosphere to the North Pole last week.

According to the project organizer, the flight served as a test of a new communication system for use in the Arctic. Mikhail Kornienko, Alexander Linik and Denis Efremov jumped out of an Il-76 aircraft flying at an altitude of 10,500 meters and were in free fall for about two and a half minutes, after which they opened their parachutes at an altitude of 1,000 meters above the ground. Their descent was captured on stunning video.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C55652ytmJj

According to organizer Nikita Chaplin, all three suffered frostbite on their cheeks, despite the fact that they were wearing heated masks. When they fell at speeds of more than 300 km per hour, the air temperature, which was around -50°C, felt like -70°C.

They landed near the Russian polar base of Barneo, where, according to Chaplin, they were able to power the server with diesel generators and establish communication with the satellite. The equipment was dropped earlier from a lower height.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C50a5cKtf29

Denis Efremov's impressions of the jump from the stratosphere to the North Pole.
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Several years of preparation, 2 weeks of tedious waiting in Murmansk, and now our IL-76 flies over the icy ocean heading straight to the North. We reach the intermediate point, begin to activate all our beacons, communications, cameras, turn on the oxygen equipment and sit down for desaturation to flush nitrogen from the blood to reduce the risk of decompression sickness.
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Overboard -55°С. We reached the stratosphere. The plane makes the final push and, having risen to a height of 10,500 meters, opens the ramp. The bright sunlight shines into our eyes, we turn off the on-board oxygen and switch to small oxygen tanks. I go to the edge of the ramp, check that the parachute is in place, and wait for the release command. I have to jump first, but there is no fear. After all, the weather there is great, visibility up to the horizon.

Three steps forward, I fall into weightlessness and a moment later I feel a strong blow to the air, because the plane was supposed to fly at a speed of about 400 km/h. 2 somersaults, a tilt, and I find a common language with this frosty air. I push off with my feet, turn to face the plane and watch this huge machine with its mouth open.

Altitude control – 8 km. I see that the landscape is unusual for me. Endless whiteness, cut by huge cracks, rows of stumps like mountain ranges, and small ripples of snow fields.

Altitude control – 5 km. I've been in free fall for over a minute now. I’m looking for a camp—it’s a line of signal smoke spreading across the ground. The only foreign object in the ice kingdom from horizon to horizon. Legs and arms are normal. Vision – ok. Hearing… I understand that my ears are closed and I feel that the pressure is growing.

Altitude control – 1.5 km, open. Softly, evenly, I search and find 2 domes of my partners. I turn the wing towards the camera. I can finally take off my mask and move on. I hear the quiet rustle of a parachute. Soft touches and a warm welcome. Later I realized that I had frostbitten cheeks. Until he says that it’s not scary and should pass, but for now I look like a chipmunk with a swollen face in addition to a tight, blissful smile.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5wQxnmNQhX

A new world record was set: a jump from the stratosphere (from a height of 10,500 meters) with a parachute straight to the North Pole. Look how it was in the photographs of the founder of Stratonavitik, Denis Efremov. And these are the first shots, then there will be a video.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5vbDFpNsVK/

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