Col John Stapp Takes a Lot of G's

Air Force flight surgeon John Paul Stapp subjected himself to a number of extreme experiments in the late 1940's and early 1950's in order to acquire data on the human body's ability to withstand extreme forces including rapid deceleration, exposure to high speed winds and other hazards associated with jet aircraft.

His most dramatic (and dangerous) tests involved the use of a rocket sled which accelerated Stapp to just bellow the speed of sound before decelerating back to a standstill in a fraction of a second, subjecting Stapp to enormous G-forces. The forward facing configuration (known as "eyeballs out") presents the very real danger of cardiac damage, which could even be fatal. Although Stapp was restrained by a specialized harness, this could not completely eliminate the cardiac danger.

Another very real hazard of such rapid deceleration is retinal detachment, which can cause permanent blindness. In one of Stapp's deceleration experiments, he was left unable to see after the deceleration. Stapp feared that he would be left blind by the event, but the effect turned out to be temporary, as it was caused by bleeding into his interocular fluid.

In his later life, Stapp would become a major promoter of enhanced automotive safety. He chaired the John P Stapp Foundation for Automotive Safety and later worked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on the development of improved crash test methods.

In 1979 Stapp was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame and in 1991, Stapp was awarded the National Medal of Technology.

Stapp died in 1999 at age 89.

(Despite this video coming from the History Channel, it is actually fairly accurate)

• Category

  Science & Technology

[kasteman1]

No offense toward modern stunt junkies, but lab rats of early space and rocket research truly have the biggest balls of them all. They didn't just take it to the next level, they took the express elevator to the roof and climbed the antenna. No sponsors or drawn-out hype, just a handshake, pat on the back, and a cold beer.

[12yearsafter12]

hi this is John Stapp and this is Jackass!.....

[tomterahedrob]

Evel Knievel is nothin compared to this man.Stapp contributed new knowledge that saved lives.HERO.

[Tee Collie]

Did anyone else start playing the Jackass theme song in their mind?

[captin weestain]

I think suicidal is the wrong word, adrenalin junkie, stunt man ect ect.

[captin weestain]

You sure this guy didn't suffer heart attacks ?

[incrdeble]

43 gs holy god damn

[3monil]

Thank you sir John Stapp.

[Murilo Loffi]

This is the kind of man Brazil lost because of the poor education investments we had for centuries!

[Danilo Orbolato]

You gotta be a little suicidal to subject yourself to that.

Sure glad some are willing indeed!

[Luke Bodom]

The beginning of Jack Ass right there people.