Austrian breaks sound barrier in record space jump
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos-
In this photo provided by Red Bull Stratos, pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria and Technical Project Director Art Thompson, celebrate after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, N.M., Sunday, October 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
-
A crane holds the capsule from which Austrian pilot Felix Baumgartner will skydive during the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico in this Oct 9, 2012 handout photo. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
This photo provided by Red Bull Stratos shows pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria reacting after his mission was aborted in Roswell, New Mexico, on Oct 9, 2012. on Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, mission control officials declared a "weather hold" until 8:15a.m. MDT, and said that inflation of the balloon wouldn't begin until after that hold is lifted. -- PHOTO: AP
-
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria sits in his trailer during the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico in this Oct 14, 2012 handout photo. Baumgartner will attempt to break a 52-year-old record by skydiving from 39km. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
The capsule and attached helium balloon carrying Felix Baumgartner lifts off as he attempts to break the speed of sound with his own body by jumping from a space capsule lifted by a helium balloon, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
-
A helicopter hovers above the helium balloon, attached to the capsule carrying Felix Baumgartner, before he attempts to break the speed of sound with his own body by jumping from the space capsule, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
-
The capsule and attached helium balloon carrying Felix Baumgartner lifts off as he attempts to break the speed of sound with his own body by jumping from a space capsule lifted by a helium balloon, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
-
In this photo provided by Red Bull, pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria sits in his trailer during the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico on Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP Photo/Red Bull Stratos, Joerg Mitter
-
This photo provided by Red Bull shows the balloon lifts up during the helium balloon carrying Felix Baumgartner, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico Baumgartner plans to jump from an altitude of 39,000m, an altitude chosen to enable him to achieve Mach 1 in free fall, which would deliver scientific data to the aerospace community about human survival from high altitudes. -- PHOTO: AP Photo/Red Bull Stratos, Predrag Vuckovic, HO
-
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria celebrates after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico in this Oct 14, 2012 handout photo. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
In this photo provided by Red Bull, family members and friends, celebrate the successful jump of pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria in Roswell, New Mexico. on Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP Photo/Red Bull Stratos, Joerg Mitter
-
In this photo provided by Red Bull Stratos, Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria celebrates after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
-
In this photo provided by Red Bull, crew members at the mission control watch the jump of pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria in Roswell, New Mexico on Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. Baumgartner came down safely in the eastern New Mexico desert minutes about nine minutes after jumping from his capsule 39km above Earth. -- PHOTO: AP Photo/Red Bull Stratos, Joerg Mitter
-
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria exits his capsule as he begins his record-setting skydive over Roswell, New Mexico Oct 14, 2012 in this frame capture from handout video. Baumgartner broke a 52-year-old record by skydiving from 39km. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria exits his capsule as he begins his record-setting skydive over Roswell, New Mexico Oct 14, 2012 in this frame capture from handout video. Baumgartner broke a 52-year-old record by skydiving from 39km. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
-
This picture provided by www.redbullcontentpool.com shows pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria landing in the desert after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, on Oct 14, 2012.. -- PHOTO: AFP PHOTO / www.redbullcontentpool.com / Pedrag Vuckovic
-
In this photo provided by Red Bull Stratos, pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria and Technical Project Director Art Thompson, celebrate after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
-
Felix Baumgartner, middle, of Austria, walks with his girlfriend Nici Oetl, facing at left, after Baumgartner successfully jumped from a space capsule lifted by a helium balloon at a height of just over 39,000m above the Earth's surface, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
-
Felix Baumgartner, of Austria, gestures prior to speaking with the media after successfully jumping from a space capsule lifted by a helium balloon at a height of just over 39,000m above the Earth's surface, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
In this photo provided by Red Bull Stratos, pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria and Technical Project Director Art Thompson, celebrate after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, N.M., Sunday, October 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
A crane holds the capsule from which Austrian pilot Felix Baumgartner will skydive during the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico in this Oct 9, 2012 handout photo. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
This photo provided by Red Bull Stratos shows pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria reacting after his mission was aborted in Roswell, New Mexico, on Oct 9, 2012. on Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, mission control officials declared a "weather hold" until 8:15a.m. MDT, and said that inflation of the balloon wouldn't begin until after that hold is lifted. -- PHOTO: AP
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria sits in his trailer during the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico in this Oct 14, 2012 handout photo. Baumgartner will attempt to break a 52-year-old record by skydiving from 39km. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
The capsule and attached helium balloon carrying Felix Baumgartner lifts off as he attempts to break the speed of sound with his own body by jumping from a space capsule lifted by a helium balloon, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
A helicopter hovers above the helium balloon, attached to the capsule carrying Felix Baumgartner, before he attempts to break the speed of sound with his own body by jumping from the space capsule, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
The capsule and attached helium balloon carrying Felix Baumgartner lifts off as he attempts to break the speed of sound with his own body by jumping from a space capsule lifted by a helium balloon, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
In this photo provided by Red Bull, pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria sits in his trailer during the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico on Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP Photo/Red Bull Stratos, Joerg Mitter
This photo provided by Red Bull shows the balloon lifts up during the helium balloon carrying Felix Baumgartner, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico Baumgartner plans to jump from an altitude of 39,000m, an altitude chosen to enable him to achieve Mach 1 in free fall, which would deliver scientific data to the aerospace community about human survival from high altitudes. -- PHOTO: AP Photo/Red Bull Stratos, Predrag Vuckovic, HO
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria celebrates after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico in this Oct 14, 2012 handout photo. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
In this photo provided by Red Bull, family members and friends, celebrate the successful jump of pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria in Roswell, New Mexico. on Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP Photo/Red Bull Stratos, Joerg Mitter
In this photo provided by Red Bull Stratos, Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria celebrates after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
In this photo provided by Red Bull, crew members at the mission control watch the jump of pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria in Roswell, New Mexico on Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. Baumgartner came down safely in the eastern New Mexico desert minutes about nine minutes after jumping from his capsule 39km above Earth. -- PHOTO: AP Photo/Red Bull Stratos, Joerg Mitter
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria exits his capsule as he begins his record-setting skydive over Roswell, New Mexico Oct 14, 2012 in this frame capture from handout video. Baumgartner broke a 52-year-old record by skydiving from 39km. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria exits his capsule as he begins his record-setting skydive over Roswell, New Mexico Oct 14, 2012 in this frame capture from handout video. Baumgartner broke a 52-year-old record by skydiving from 39km. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
This picture provided by www.redbullcontentpool.com shows pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria landing in the desert after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, on Oct 14, 2012.. -- PHOTO: AFP PHOTO / www.redbullcontentpool.com / Pedrag Vuckovic
In this photo provided by Red Bull Stratos, pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria and Technical Project Director Art Thompson, celebrate after successfully completing the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Felix Baumgartner, middle, of Austria, walks with his girlfriend Nici Oetl, facing at left, after Baumgartner successfully jumped from a space capsule lifted by a helium balloon at a height of just over 39,000m above the Earth's surface, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
Felix Baumgartner, of Austria, gestures prior to speaking with the media after successfully jumping from a space capsule lifted by a helium balloon at a height of just over 39,000m above the Earth's surface, Sunday, Oct 14, 2012, in Roswell, New Mexico. -- PHOTO: AP
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner became the first man to break the sound barrier in a record-shattering, death-defying freefall jump on Sunday from the edge of space.
The 43-year-old leapt from a capsule more than 39km above the Earth, reaching a top speed of 1,342kmh, or 1.24 times the speed of sound, according to organisers.
The veteran skydiver was in freefall for four minutes and 20 seconds before opening his red and white parachute and floating down to the desert in the US state of New Mexico, said Red Bull Stratos mission record keeper Brian Utley.
Mission control erupted in cheers as Baumgartner sprung from the capsule hoisted aloft by a giant helium-filled balloon to an altitude of 39,044m, even higher than expected.
"I think 20 tons have fallen from my shoulders. I prepared for this for seven years," he told German-language ServusTV in Austria in his first interview after the leap.
Related Stories
