Balloon/Jetpack into orbit?

nightbat wrote

Double-A wrote:

Bright Star wrote:
is it possible to launch a balloon high enough that it gets as high in
the sky as it can ever get & then strap on a jetpack & fly into orbit
from the balloon?
What would be the obstacles in trying this?

Send this on to NASA!

They need all the bright ideas they can get.

Double-A

nightbat

Yes, I agree, the idea can even be modified for testing to
encompass an Earth small light weight jet aircraft multi industrial
balloon carried to certain altitude then released for ship jet propelled
final into orbit trajectory. The return trip would be handled like the
present shuttles precise incoming angle requirements but not impossible.
This small jet piggyback transport concept could be adapted to be placed
on the main shuttles and at least provide a greater margin of safety for
astronauts in case of initial flight main or booster solid rockets or
outer space mission failure sequence. A smaller for emergency use jet
class craft then larger shuttle mission reguirements with intermitten
reached altitude drop off possible recoverable fuel tanks would be
another possibility. A jet pack into orbit would be extremely gas fuel
capacity limited not to mention the oxygen and space suit energy thermal
requirements of rocketperson upper atmosphere and outer space orbiting
needs. We do need all the bright workable ideas we can come up with to
possibly help save mission gone wrong astronauts lives.

ponder on,
the nightbat