(See classic pictures of Kittinger's skydive.) Air Force colonel and current Red Bull Stratos team member, who fell 19.5 miles (31.3 kilometers) on August 16, 1960. The current free fall record is held by Joseph Kittinger, a retired U.S. Originally scheduled for Monday but postponed due to projected high winds, the feat would make him the first human to break the sound barrier without the propulsion, or protection, of a vehicle. Seven years in the making, the so-called Red Bull Stratos Mission to the Edge of Space is expected to break records as the highest, fastest, and longest-duration skydive.īaumgartner's team estimates the Austrian sky diver and helicopter pilot will reach Mach 1.2-roughly 690 miles (1,110 kilometers) an hour-and free-fall for five and a half minutes before opening a parachute at 5,000 feet (1,524) to float him to the ground. When the weather is right and all systems are go, he'll exit the capsule in a pressurized suit and free-fall to Earth. If all goes as planned this week, Felix Baumgartner will step off a small platform and skydive into history.īaumgartner will climb to around 23 miles (37 kilometers) above New Mexico in a pressurized capsule attached to history's largest helium balloon-55 stories tall and as wide as a football field. Nicholas Mott Photograph by Volkmar K.Update: Felix Baumgartner's Red Bull Stratos jump has been delayed until at least Sunday due to strong winds. (Also see "Supersonic Skydive's 5 Biggest Risks: Boiling Blood, Deadly Spins, and Worse.") Thirteen minutes and 45 seconds later, he had traveled from the edge of space to New Mexico using only a pressurized suit and parachutes.ĭesigned in part to study high-altitude bailouts, much of the Air Force project, from training to touchdown, was captured in classic National Geographic pictures, re-presented here in anticipation of Baumgartner's expected sound barrier-shattering dive from 23 miles (37 kilometers) above the same spot. Kittinger had just uttered "Lord, take care of me now" and stepped out of his open-air, helium-balloon gondola, some 20 miles (31 kilometers) up. Air Force pilot Joseph Kittinger-shown above at the outset of his historic skydive. For 52 years that record has been held by U.S. This October, Austrian sky diver Felix Baumgartner aims to execute the highest free fall in history. Thirteen minutes and 45 seconds later, he had traveled from the edge of space to New Mexico using only a pressurized suit and parachutes.Designed in part to study high-altitude bailouts, much of the Air Force project, from training to touchdown, was captured in classic National Geographic pictures, re-presented here in anticipation of Baumgartner's expected sound barrier-shattering dive from 23 miles (37 kilometers) above the same spot.(Also see "Supersonic Skydive's 5 Biggest Risks: Boiling Blood, Deadly Spins, and Worse.")-Nicholas Mott ![]() Air Force pilot Joseph Kittinger-shown above at the outset of his historic skydive.It was August 16, 1960. ![]()
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