Red Bull Stratos

Red Bull Stratos
Logo
Date14 October 2012; 12 years ago (2012-10-14)
Time09:30 MDT (15:30 UTC)
LocationRoswell International Air Center, Roswell, New Mexico, United States
CoordinatesLaunch site:
33°18′39″N 104°32′21″W / 33.3109°N 104.5392°W / 33.3109; -104.5392
Landing site:
33°21′29″N 103°47′06″W / 33.3580°N 103.7849°W / 33.3580; -103.7849
Also known asMission to the edge of space
ParticipantsFelix Baumgartner
OutcomeBalloon altitude record and sound barrier broken
Websiteredbullstratos.com

Red Bull Stratos was a high-altitude skydiving project involving Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner. On 14 October 2012, Baumgartner flew approximately 39 kilometres (24 mi)[1][2][3] into the stratosphere over New Mexico, United States, in a helium balloon before free falling in a pressure suit and then parachuting to Earth.[4] The total jump, from leaving the capsule to landing on the ground, lasted approximately ten minutes.[1] While the free fall was initially expected to last between five and six minutes,[5] Baumgartner deployed his parachute after 4 minutes and 19 seconds.[1]

Reaching 1,357.64 km/h (843.6 mph)—Mach 1.25—Baumgartner broke the sound barrier on his descent,[6] becoming the first human to do so without any form of engine power.[4][7] Measurements show Baumgartner also broke two other world records. With a final altitude of 38,969 m (127,851 ft; 24 mi),[8] Baumgartner broke the unofficial record for the highest manned balloon flight of 37,640 m (123,491 ft) previously set by Nick Piantanida.[9][10][11][12] He also broke the record for the highest-altitude jump, set in 1960 by USAF Colonel Joseph Kittinger, who was Baumgartner's mentor and capsule communicator at mission control. These claims were verified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).[13]

Baumgartner's height record has since been surpassed by Alan Eustace.

  1. ^ a b c Michelson, Megan (14 October 2012). "Baumgartner makes record freefall". ESPN. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Felix Baumgartner to make space jump attempt on Sunday". The Telegraph. London. 11 October 2012. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  3. ^ Paur, Jason (15 October 2013). "Red Bull Releases Incredible POV Video of 128,000-Foot Stratos Jump". Wired. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  4. ^ a b Henderson, Barney; Irvine, Chris (9 October 2012). "Skydiver Felix Baumgartner attempts to break sound barrier: latest". Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  5. ^ Smith, Chris (9 October 2012). "Red Bull Stratos Live Blog: Watch Felix Baumgartner Break Speed of Sound". Forbes. Retrieved 9 October 2012. This post is from Tuesday's failed launch attempt.
  6. ^ Irvine, Chris (14 October 2012). "Felix Baumgartner: Daredevil in record-breaking free fall attempt: live". Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  7. ^ Amos, Jonathan (14 October 2012). "Skydiver Felix Baumgartner lands highest ever jump". BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  8. ^ "Fearless Felix makes successful freefall jump". New Zealand Herald. 15 October 2012. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  9. ^ Ryan, Craig (2003). The Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold of Space. Naval Institute Press. pp. 258–269. ISBN 978-1591147480.
  10. ^ Ryan, Craig (2003). Magnificent Failure: Free Fall from the Edge of Space. Smithsonian Books. p. 267. ISBN 978-1588341419.
  11. ^ Betancourt, Mark (July 2012). "The 120,000-Foot Leap". Air & Space Magazine.
  12. ^ "Chutist Changes Mind 123,500 Feet in Sky". New York Times. 2 February 1966. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  13. ^ "Baumgartner's Records Ratified By FAI". Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.