Brian Cox Reaches the Edge of Earth's Atmosphere | Wonders Of The Solar System | BBC Earth Science

Professor Brian Cox travels vertically to over 18 km in an English Electric Lightning jet, witnessing the mesmerising phenomena of the visual atmospheric edge between Earth and Space - the Thin Blue Line.
#briancox #atmosphere
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Wonders Of The Solar System
In this spellbinding series Professor Brian Cox visits the most extreme locations on Earth to explain how the laws of physics carved natural wonders across the solar system.
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[@phmwu7368]

This was in the summer of 2009 as British Physicist Brian Cox flew onboard a two-seater version English Electric Lightning (aka "The Frightening") at Thunder City - South Africa, for the BBC series "Wonders of the Solar System". Thunder City was a private venture flying vintage jet aircraft such as the Lightning, Buccaneer and two-seater Hawker Hunter. In November 2009, after an accident leaving the Overberg airshow, one of their Lightning jets crashed and the group stopped flying. RIP pilot Dave Stock...

[@nishant3528]

The combination of the music, Professor Brian's voice, and the feels from 3:00 to the end of the video are just amazing. I wish it was an hour long.

[@thomasbell7033]

I have been an aviation writer for the past 30 years, and the one great perk of the job was the exotic flight time I had the privilege of amassing. Everything from the F-104D Starfighter to the F/A-18B and D. I think my favorite, though, was the F-15D. There is no experience to compare, I don't think. I miss it.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

glad you experienced them🐱👍🏿

[@expbot1905]

This jet (ZU-BEX/XS451 2:00) crashed one month after this was filmed. Brian Cox is lucky to be alive

[@mariadaluzmoutinho5701]

Incrível!! A linha azul ténue que nos protege ...O esplendor a bordo de um engenho fantástico!! Que experiência tão fora de série...quem não gostava de a ter?!!

[@johndavid5618]

"Lovely thank you for sharing. ❤️ ✌️

[@murkyseb]

That’s amazing

[@randy5829]

Amazing Professor Brian Cox. You’re Amazing!

[@Radio478]

Brilliant

[@TrainLikeAProDaily]

There was a time, not long ago, when there were so many very interesting science shows. It seems to be such a void right now. I am so glad I've recently discovered this BBC mini series as there isn't much out there to stimulate the mind and awaken the creativity power.

[@soukaryasamanta8073]

As far as I know, these are snippets from some actual full length BBC show.

[@99.9percent9]

Eric Dubay 200???

[@TheAlexisaac1000ify]

That would blow me away just experiencing that for 1 time. For 20mins or so. Wow..lucky man Brian Cox. Love what you bring and do. 👍👌✨️

[@timw6928]

He was touching that beautiful aircraft in what seems complete disbelief like a young lads biggest dream and he got to live it, and he's very correct. It was the very best of British along with the V force bombers when England lead the world 🌎.

[@Radio478]

I worked for EE 1980s

[@D3Vlicious]

Amazing how they do it with normal flight suits. When NASA sends people up in the U2, there's a whole lot more preparation and they're made to wear what are effectively space suits.

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

Americans always go OTT on everything, better to be safe than sorry.

[@phmwu7368]

This was in the summer of 2009 as British Physicist Brian Cox flew onboard a two-seater version (aka "The Frightening") at Thunder City - South Africa, for the BBC series "Wonders of the Solar System". Thunder City was a private venture flying vintage jet aircraft such as the Lightning, Buccaneer and Hawker Hunter. In November 2009, after an accident leaving the Overberg airshow, one of their Lightning jets crashed and the group stopped flying. RIP pilot Dave Stock...

[@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM]

U2's & SR71's, spend (or spent, regarding the SR71) most of their flight ours, at them altitudes. Whereas the Lightning, could only sustain them altitudes, very briefly, so the need for suits like that were negligible.

[@adpirtle]

If you're ever in Cape Town, S.A. you can still book one of these flights for yourself.

[@fatbambi]

I'm pretty sure that plane crashed and was destroyed a few months after this was filmed.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

really?? wow!!..

[@samuelgarrod8327]

Not anymore sadly.

[@andrewberridge4630]

Yes, unfortunately, Thunder City is now shut down. It didn't do well after this very aircraft crashed at an airshow in November 2009. This incident uncovered a number of serious flaws in the management of the aircraft.

[@otolithic7698]

Prof Cox was quite lucky, in a few ways. One month later this jet (see XS451 / ZU-BEX at 1:23) crashed and the pilot (not this pilot, see 1:50) was killed as the canopy failed to release properly. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_and_incidents_involving_the_English_Electric_Lightning#2000s

[@kenstevens5065]

They don't appear to be wearing a partial pressure vest or E type helmet which would give a couple of minutes to get to lower altitudes if the cockpit pressure failed at high altitude.

[@beagle7622]

Concordes used to go up to 55 to 60 thousand every day of the week with 100 passengers. How high it went was temperature dependant.

[@richardmarshall4322]

During the 80s BA agreed to supply a Concorde as a target for interception by NATO fighter aircraft. All failed except one. A Lightning intercepted and overtook Concorde at 60000ft. Very capable fighter.

[@chris_ackroyd]

Really jealous- remember this plane could catch the X71 blackbird and go supersonic vertically (zoom climb) 😎👏👏👏

[@MorRobots]

No it couldn't. whomever said that probably based it off the public SR71 specs at the time. The SR71 has been fuly unclassified recently so Google some of the information if you like however: The SR71 was 1.03 Mach faster and it's service ceiling (max ceiling for normal ops) was 15000 feet higher.

[@neovo903]

@@MorRobots Yes it probably could. Lightning XR749 climbed to 88,000 ft. 3,000 ft higher than the SR71's rated max altitude. The SR-71 is not always flying at Mach 3.2. Much like an F-18 isn't always flying at Mach 1.8.

[@MorRobots]

@@neovo903 go read up on the Oxcart program. The SR-71 and the A-12 actually were almost always doing 3.2 unless it was takeoff, refueling, or landing. The J58 engines actually got more efficient the closer the aircraft flew towards its operating air speed. Additionally there's a difference between a ballistic shot to 88,000 and the maximum ->Operational

[@peterthomas5792]

@@MorRobots Agree, a lightning couldn't match an SR-71 or A-12 in outright speed or endurance. Ceiling is more debatable - neither have public figures, Lightning verified at 88,000 feet, not sure about SR-71 / A-12. But the Lightning was designed for a different role - it was one one hell of an interceptor...

[@haluter]

It could (and did) intercept the Concorde in an actual test.

[@AraCarrano]

Yet James May gets a Lift on the NASA version of the U-2.

[@dogwalker666]

The lightning was faster and could catch the sr71.

[@thomasbell7033]

@@dogwalker666 Everything is faster than the U-2. That's not what it was designed for. It was built to fly very high and have an amazing endurance for a single-engine jet, often 10-11 hours a mission without refueling. It was a glorified glider, in fact. But no, fast as it was, the Lightning could not intercept the Blackbird. Even the faster MiG-25 was unable to do that, though they came close.

[@dogwalker666]

@@thomasbell7033 I know but I am afraid you are in error the lightning did intercept a sr71 the yanks were furious, just like the British radar could see the f22,

[@thomasbell7033]

@@dogwalker666 I have heard that over the years, but have seen no documentation of it. Would love to, though.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

@@thomasbell7033 it looks like a mig13

[@niehlsbohr]

Much preferred over the other things blue line

[@MrAyrit]

Well, I’m jealous.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

its okay we"ll build one ourselves with a reliable Toyota Lexus engine in a Cessna used frame 🐱👍🏿

[@peterthomas5792]

So jealous! I grew up in a time when the Lightning was the absolute king of interceptors and it's still, almost 60 years later, an incredible machine. And the king of the Lightnings was XR-749 "Big Mother"...it hit 88,000 feet intercepting a U2 and overtook Concorde in a drag race. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnXHhqp_na5gkKM

[@johndavid5618]

That was before my time. "Great warbirds. "But i had the honer to seen them at thunder city in Cape Town. ❤️💪✌️

[@tremsls]

The level extended plane that is earth.

[@bigJovialJon]

Agh! Chemtrail !! ;-)

[@dogwalker666]

Silly.

[@southnc63]

Better to have a pressure suit.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

it looks like a -Mig13- Mig15

[@sebulbableves]

More like a MiG 21.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

@@sebulbableves sorry i meant mig15, ...13 still had propellers

[@neovo903]

eh, the over-under engine layout is very different

[@tedchirvasiu]

Cox

[@dogwalker666]

We have the great actor Brian Cox and the Scientist Brian Cox.

[@Emdee5632]

18 km or 24 km (80,000 ft) up is hardly the edge of space. According to international agreement it's (a bit arbitrary, true) 100 km altitude. Nasa is using 85 km I think.

[@OldMtnGeezer]

Did you, uh, happen to have anyone else along on your adventure, Brian? Lots of "I's" in your narrative, but not a single mention of something so incidental as, oh, say ... a pilot?

[@SlayerEddyTV]

Sponsored by Shell

[@fidelcatsro6948]

V power!!

[@sebulbableves]

Shell is evil

[@Poorlybobsdad]

Hang on, I thought it was flat 😁.

[@dogwalker666]

Nahh only simpltons think that.

[@Poorlybobsdad]

@@dogwalker666 And / or understand a joke.

[@dogwalker666]

@@Poorlybobsdad giving the cult of flatardia any extra publicity isn't a joke, They are vile disinformation peddlers.

[@Poorlybobsdad]

@@dogwalker666 publicity or mockery. Depends on your perspective doesn’t it? Maybe don’t take life too seriously Mr Walker.

[@dogwalker666]

@@Poorlybobsdad I have lots of dealings with the cult, They are dangerous.

[@GregoryTheGr8ster]

The British NEVER made the best fighter aircraft. The USSR did. Bring back the Soviet Union!