Felix Finally Jumps

In the late 1950s, Project Excelsior (meaning "ever upward"), was launched to explore the challenges faced by humans and equipment during high altitude bailouts. The key test subject in the project's experiments was Colonel Joe Kittinger, a career United States Air Force officer and Command Pilot. In August of 1960, Joe successful free fall from a height of about nineteen miles.

Kittinger's Wikipedia article reads: "On August 16, 1960, he made the final jump, from the Excelsior III, at 102,800 feet (31,300 m). Towing a small drogue parachute for initial stabilization, he fell for 4 minutes and 36 seconds, reaching a maximum speed of 614 miles per hour (988 km/h) before opening his parachute at 18,000 feet (5,500 m). Pressurization for his right glove malfunctioned during the ascent, and his right hand swelled to twice its normal size. Ignoring the pain, he rode the balloon up to 102,800 feet and said a short prayer — "Lord, take care of me now" — before stepping off". Setting an international record that had yet to be broken until this October.

Enter Red Bull Stratos, Red Bull's project to break the record set by Kittinger in 1960. Second to this objective was to gather scientific data on the effects that supersonic speed has to the human body, potentially using such data to influence future high altitude suit designs.

To do this, Red Bull recruited Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian skydiver and professional base jumper. Prior to the Stratos Jump, Felix won a World Champion title for base jumping in 1997, completed the highest base jump from a building to set a world record in 1999, was added to the "Street of Champions" in Vienna, Austria in 2002, crossed the English Channel via free fall from Dover, England to Calais, France in 2003, became a helicopter pilot in 2006, and base jumped into the second biggest cave in the world in 2007. In addition to these accolades, Felix has made numerous other notable base jumps, has been sponsored by red bull, and is a name synonymous to the skydive community. His reputation and affiliation with the Red Bull name were a perfect match for the project.

The launch was originally scheduled for 9 October 2012, but was aborted due to adverse weather conditions. Launch was rescheduled and the mission instead took place on 14 October 2012 when Baumgartner landed in eastern New Mexico after jumping from a world record 39,045 metres (128,100 ft) or just over 39 kilometres (24 mi). On the basis of provisional data, Baumgartner also set the record for the highest manned balloon flight (at the same height) and fastest speed of free fall at 1,342 kilometres per hour (834 mph) making him the first human to break the sound barrier outside of a vehicle. Baumgartner was in free fall for 4 minutes and 19 seconds, 17 seconds short of mentor Joseph Kittinger's 1960 jump.

Below is an abbreviated video of the climb, jump, and landing that was broadcast world wide.

From the Red Bull Stratos Wikipedia page:

After preliminary analysis it was announced that Baumgartner broke three of the four planned records—the highest manned balloon flight, the first human to break the sound barrier without the assistance of a vehicle, and the highest skydive. He failed to break the record for the longest time in free fall. He indicated at his press conference that he deliberately deployed his parachute earlier than anticipated to allow Kittinger the dignity of remaining a record-holder.

Officials from the National Aeronautic Association and the United States Parachute Association collected data from the descent and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) is analyzing it.[5] If confirmed, the jump statistics Baumgartner will have attained will be:

• Maximum altitude of 39.045 kilometres (24.261 mi)
• Maximum speed of 1,342.8 kilometres per hour (834.4 mph), which corresponds to Mach 1.24 or 373 m/s
• Total free fall time of 4 minutes, 19 seconds
• Total free fall distance of 36,529 metres (119,846 ft)

The FAI announced that confirmation of exact times and altitudes could take several weeks. The data will be evaluated first by the Austrian Aeroclub (ÖAeC) since Baumgartner is an Austrian citizen and will then be confirmed by the FAI. While the reported values may change on verification there was no doubt that Baumgartner broke the sound barrier.

"I know the whole world is watching now. I wish you could see what I can see. Sometimes you have to be up really high to understand how small you are... I'm coming home now." - Felix Baumgartner, Seconds Before Jumping into History