Fastest Man on Earth

Col. John Paul Stapp, who rode a rocket sled to become the "fastest man on Earth" in 1954, died Saturday at his home in Alamogordo, New Mexico at age 89.

Stapp became an aerospace pioneer when he rode a rocket-driven sled to near-supersonic speeds to study the effects of extreme deceleration. As an aerospace physician, Stapp strove to understand the stresses jet pilots would face, including the rigors of ejecting during high-speed flight. He became his own test subject in 29 rocket-sled experiments. According to one aerospace historian, Stapp's Air Force Colleagues called him "one of the bravest men in the world."

He made his most famous ride on December 10, 1954. On that day, a rocket sled accelerated him from a standstill to a speed of 632 miles per hour in only five seconds. The sled was then brought to a stop in 1.4 seconds, subjecting Stapp to g-forces up to 40 times normal gravity. His expertise in medicine and biophysics allowed him to diagnose the effects of the punishing ride during and after the event.

Stapp's experiments were used to help design safer aircraft and ejection seats, and gave researchers an idea of the stresses that might be experienced by future space travelers.

His work also had more down-to-earth benefits. It demonstrated the efficacy of wearing a seatbelt or safety harness in a car or airplane, showing that people were more likely to survive the impact involved in vehicular crashes if they used such restraints.