Daredevil Skydiver Attempts Record

Daredevil Skydiver Attempts Record

Daredevil Felix" Baumgartner has jumped at least 2,500 times from planes and helicopters, as well as some of the highest landmarks and skyscrapers such as the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro, the Millau Viaduct in southern France, and the 101-story Taipei 101 in Taiwan.

He said he has also leapt face-first into a pitch-dark, 620-foot-deep cave in Croatia, which he deems his most dangerous feat yet, but he will attempt to break that record soon.

The fearless skydiver will attempt to hurtle toward Earth at extreme supersonic speed from a record 23 miles up, breaking the sound barrier with only his body.

Very interestingly, he was able to make it more than halfway during a critical rehearsal on Thursday, jumping from more than 13 miles up in a helium balloon in the New Mexico desert when he tested the same pressurized capsule and full-pressure suit that he will use in a few months for a record-setting free fall from 120,000 feet.

He is believed to be the only person to jump from such a high altitude and free fall. The record is Air Force test pilot Joe Kittinger's jump from 102,800 feet – 19.5 miles – in 1960.

"I'm now a member of a pretty small club," Baumgartner announced.

This would-be extremely dangerous feat is enough to grab NASA's attention.

NASA Engineers working on astronaut escape systems for future spacecraft have their eyes on this Austrian skydiver and former military parachutist, and daredevil known as "Fearless Felix."

"I like to challenge myself," Baumgartner, 42, explained in a recent interview, "and this is the ultimate skydive. I think there's nothing bigger than that."

Posted by Andre Monohan on Saturday March 17 2012, 4:38 AM EST. Ref: Yahoo. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0