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Jay Nemeth / Red Bull Stratos via AP)
In this photo provided by Red Bull Stratos, Felix Baumgartner prepares to jump during the first manned test flight for Red Bull Stratos over Roswell, N.M. on March 15.
Felix Baumgartner is more than halfway toward his goal of setting a world record for the highest jump. According to a spokesperson, the skydiving daredevil took a practice jump of 13.6 miles over New Mexico from a pressurized capsule carried by a hot air balloon.
Baumgartner is aiming for 23 miles by this summer. The current record, held by Joe Kittinger who jumped from 19.5 miles, was set in 1960.
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Jay Nemeth / Red Bull Stratos via AP
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria prepares to exits the capsule before his jump.
"Fearless Felix" Baumgartner successfully completed a high-altitude jump from 13 miles up, one of only three people to ever jump from that altitude. For comparison, most planes hit cruising altitude at about 5.5 miles up. NBC's Tamron Hall reports.
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I remember as a kid being fascinated by Kittinger's jump from over 100k feet, and I still have that issue of National Geographic. Good luck Felix!
That top picture is THE COOLEST picture I have ever seen.
Will he catch fire upon re-entry? :-)
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Talk about "one small step". Good Luck Felix!!
Amazing!
Ribbit!
It's a HELIUM baloon!
Why cant the writers get their facts straight?
You're right gbard1, the type of balloon is the interesting part of the story.
That is a incredible view. So, with no pilot / occupant, what happens to this here balloon device floating loose in the upper atmosphere? Any chance we'll see a drawing for tickets to this ride? You have to be this tall.. lol I'd do it in a second!!
This is so interesting and leaves so many questions to be explored. Ok, #1, if the edge of space is at 65 miles and assuming 0 gravity, I would assume you would have only a little more than half the gravitational pull at 23 miles. #2 The atmosphere at 23 miles is less dense, Less resistance to an object falling through the atmosphere, Question, Your falling so fast, Won't you catch fire when the atmosphere gets denser?
Exactly how does this nonsense benefit mankind? What a waste of resources for a silly, stupid, and dangerous stunt. Thses guys never matured past age 14. Jackass on steriods.
...Watch the video and listen towards the end about NASA's interest... ^_^
bobbo, waste best describes the oxygen, hydrogen, carbon that was wasted in your birth. Go back to helping Newt.
Awesome Awesome Awesome! Congratulations Felix and Red Bull Stratos. Great prep day, and 23 miles is going to be a jewel. Felix, we've got to get you a squirrel suit cover or some wings for that old school space suit. Some BIG STYLIN with HIGH MANUVERABILITY man. Functionality + aerodynamic form for man's HEAVENLY descent. Fantastic overhead shots of your leap!
I LOVE to skydive and I would give anything to jump from that height. That's AWESOME!