Page 24 QQQ Daily Mail, Friday, August 23, 2019
A BRITISH former Nasa scientist
has been killed in a base jumping
accident in Saudi Arabia.
Dr Angelo Grubisic, 38, had been
taking part in a planned jump
when he died, his family confirmed
yesterday.
Just weeks ago Dr Grubisic had been
crowned British wingsuit champion. He
led a team designing the suits – which
add surface area to the body to allow
‘human flight’ – at Southampton Univer-
sity, where he lectured in astronautics and
advanced propulsion.
The ‘phenomenally talented’ scientist
had previously worked on spacecraft pro-
pulsion for the European Space Agency
and Nasa.
In a statement to the BBC, his family
said: ‘Angelo lost his life doing what he
loved the most, wingsuit base jumping,
that burns twice as bright burns
half as long” has never rung more
true to the family and friends
Angelo had across the world.’
In 2015 Dr Grubisic set up the
Icarus Project, with the aim of
designing a safe world-record
breaking wingsuit.
The sport involves jumping from
an aircraft or a very high altitude
and gliding through the air while
wearing a suit with webbed wing
surfaces. The jump normally ends
with a parachute landing.
The project’s long-term objec-
tives included inspiring students
to consider careers in science and
engineering, and to provide a
‘unique learning experience’ for
students to become part of a team
to represent their university at a
national and international level.
The project also sought to edu-
cate wingsuit pilots on wingsuit
aerodynamics to maintain safety
in the sport.
Last year Dr Grubisic told stu-
dents he aimed to make the high-
est-ever altitude jump by leaping
from a plane more than 40,000ft
(12km) up. He also wanted tobreak the speed record for flying
in a wingsuit – at up to 250 miles
an hour – during the attempt.
In January this year he had
given evidence into the death of
fellow wing suit jumper Rob Hag-
garty, from Andover, Hampshire,
who died from multiple head and
chest injuries after he failed to
clear a cliff ledge on a 8,000ft high
Italian mountain.
A former student of Dr Gru-
bisic, Nathan Vosper, said yes-
terday: ‘Incredibly sad news
that one of my favourite lec-turers when I studied at @uni-
southampton, @AngeloGrubi-
sic has passed away.
‘A fantastic lecturer & inspira-
tion for us all. A real life rocket-
man. Fly easy up there. As he said,
“If you’re not doing what you love,
you’re the crazy one”.’
A spokesman for the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office said last
night: ‘Our consular staff are sup-
porting the family of a British man
following his death in Saudi Ara-
bia, and are in contact with the
local authorities.’By Mike Bedigan
Wingsuit
scientist
plunges to
his death
Briton in base jumping tragedy
High aims:
Angelo
Grubisic
was a
pioneer in
the sport‘Phenomenal’: Dr Grubisic‘A mark made
on all our lives’and we want to ensure his achievements
and ambitions are known to the world
and to celebrate the mark he made on all
of our lives.
‘Angelo captivated the hearts and minds
of every single person who was privileged
to meet and work with him. “The candle