Skydiver to break records with space dive
Austrian-born Felix Baumgartner will plummet 125,000 feet in a fall that will see him break the sound barrier.His jump, which is being assisted by former Nasa and US Air Force engineers, will feature in a documentary to be shown on BBC
It is 50 years since American Joe Kittinger made history by leaping from a balloon at 102,800ft.
Mr Baumgartner, who is known for stunts such as jumping off the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will travel up to 125,000ft in a specially designed capsule suspended beneath a helium balloon.
His freefall will last for more than five minutes and he will have to wear a specially made pressure suit and helmet to protect his body in the extreme cold and thin air.
It is hoped that the jump will answer a number of important scientific questions.
Reaching speeds of over 690mph (Mach 1) in just 35 seconds his body will experience some of the most arduous conditions ever experienced in freefall.
His team also hope to use the “space dive” to gather data about the stratosphere and how the body copes with the extreme conditions.
