Project High Dive

  Origins and Context

The United States Air Force initiated Project High Dive in the early 1950s to study human survival in high-altitude bailouts.¹ The program used anthropomorphic dummies dropped from high-altitude balloons to test parachute systems and collect data on aerodynamic behavior.²

  Program Structure

Test dummies were equipped with instruments and dropped from balloons at high altitudes to simulate emergency bailout conditions.³ The experiments revealed that test subjects would enter a dangerous 200 rpm flat spin during descent, leading to the development of stabilization systems.⁴

  Legacy

Project High Dive's findings directly influenced the development of Project Excelsior, which addressed the flat spin problem and advanced high-altitude escape systems.⁵ The program's test dummy drops were later associated with UFO reports and became part of alternative explanations for the Roswell incident.⁶

  References

1. The program was part of broader USAF research into crew survival at extreme altitudes. ↩

2. Anthropomorphic dummies were designed to accurately simulate human mass and articulation during freefall. ↩

3. Tests were conducted primarily at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. ↩

4. The 200 rpm flat spin discovered during testing would have been fatal to human subjects. ↩

5. Project Excelsior later used the data to develop successful high-altitude escape systems. ↩

6. The program's classified nature and unusual test articles contributed to public speculation about UFO activity. ↩