Austrian skydiver, Felix Baumgartner, dropped like a rock from the edge of space reaching a speed of 833.9 miles per hour. Carried up by an enormous balloon, the 43-year-old daredevil jumped out at roughly 24 miles above the Earth. The feat was sponsored by Red Bull and came on the 65th anniversary of Chuck Yeager becoming the first person to break the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket-powered airplane way back in 1947.
Felix Baumgartner preparing to skydive from space. (Source: BusinessInsider.com)
Along with becoming the first skydiver to break the sound barrier (which is around 690 mph), Baumgartner broke at least three world records with this jump: highest altitude skydive (128,100 feet), longest free-fall without a parachute (119,846 feet) and fastest fall achieved during a skydive (833.9 mph).
Baumgartner safely touched down after 4:20 minutes of free-fall and was quickly bombarded by his family, friends and supporters. “Sometimes you have to get up really high to know how small you are,” said Baumgartner recalling the incredible jump.
