Later this year, daredevil pilot and skydiver Felix Baumgartner wants to become the first human being to break the speed of sound in a free fall – from 120,000 feet above Earth.
He intends to ride in a capsule lifted by a helium balloon to the upper reaches of the stratosphere, the second atmospheric layer above Earth. Then Baumgartner will jump out, wearing a spacesuit that is expected to protect him from the pressure of descending at sound-breaking speeds in excess of Mach 1 – or 690 mph – until he pulls his rip cord, releasing a parachute that will slow his descent to survivable speeds.
Red Bull is the main sponsor of the Red Bull Stratos Project, while secondary sponsor Mount Olympus Spring Water will provide the team with large amounts of MT O ReverteR, the first oxo-biodegradable and recyclable water bottle in the US.
A 40 year old native of Austria, Baumgartner derived his ‘Fearless Felix’ nickname for an already impressive list of skydiving and BASE jumping exploits. He has made parachute dives off some of the world’s tallest buildings, and in 2003 crossed the English Channel in a free fall using a carbon wing.
On 22 January, he announced his plan to break a 50 year old record for the highest free fall, set by retired US Air Force Col Joseph Kittinger, whose 1960 jump from 102,800 feet is credited with being an influential force in advancing space exploration. Baumgartner intends to go at least 18,000 feet higher before hurtling into the void.
Source: www.sltrib.com
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024