Austrian Felix Baumgartner has broken the record for the highest ever skydive by jumping out of a balloon 128,000ft (39km) above New Mexico.

The 43-year-old was hoping also to break the sound barrier during his descent - although that mark awaits confirmation.

Video cameras relayed the moment Baumgartner stepped from his balloon capsule to begin his fall to Earth.
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It took 10 minutes for him to reach the desert surface below.

I watched this on Youtube live feed until he gently hit the ground at 2:17 p.m.



One of my more memorable moments watching some daring fool go into space (or even subspace). The first was February 1962, when John Glenn went up into earth orbit in a Mercury 7 capsule (made locally at McDonell Aircraft in St. Louis) We were in school so they ran the radio audio thru our classroom speakers and everyone was as excited as with this event today. Only kids today got it so much better with clear live-feed video.

Anyone remember the name of the last record holder? How long did the jump take? 15 minutes?

I didn't get his name but he was the old man doing mission control for this guy. I think his jump was in 1961.

This was on the news tonight and he did break the sound barrier. There was an earlier free fall that lasted seconds longer than his today - I think there was an automatic chute that opened when he exceeded a certain speed. But 24 miles high is a record.

Next Step?

Some people have a death wish, it causes them to do really foolish things.

Wow!

Shale didn't get (or didn't care to acknowledge ) my earlier sarcasm. Despite it, I dedicate this song to Herr Baumgartner.