After flying to an altitude of 39,045 meters (128,100 feet) in a helium-filled balloon, Felix Baumgartner completed a record breaking jump for the ages from the edge of space, exactly 65 years after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket-powered airplane. Felix reached a maximum of speed of 1,342.8 km/h (833mph) through the near vacuum of the stratosphere before being slowed by the atmosphere later during his 4:20 minute long freefall. The 43-year-old Austrian skydiving expert also broke two other world records (highest freefall, highest manned balloon flight), leaving the one for the longest freefall to project mentor Col. Joe Kittinger.

“Start the cameras and our guardian angel will take care of you.” Words of wisdom from Col. Joe Kittinger before Felix stepped away from his capsule falling into the stratosphere.

After 9 minutes and 3 seconds (preliminary data) from jump to landing, Felix touched the ground safely with a perfect landing. He kneeled down in celebration of an accomplishment that took extraordinary dedication and training to get to this day.

The initial attempt happened this past Tuesday in the early morning, it was delayed to the afternoon the same day. But the second attempt was also aborted and rescheduled to this past weekend because of high winds in Roswell, New Mexico.

On Sunday, fittingly on the the 65th anniversary (October 14, 1947) of Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier in a jet aircraft, Felix Baumgartner and Red Bull Stratos finally accomplished the astonishing and impressive feat. The Austrian skydiver jumped from a pressurized capsule more than 24 miles up in the air, at the edge of space, down to the surface of Mother Earth. The attempt of the accomplishment went flawlessly, this turn, save for Felix sounding like he was taking orders via the drive-thru during the cray stunt. Could anyone else understand what the hell he was saying? Anyway, amazing stuff, yeah, science!

View the entirety of of the actual jump portion at the header if you missed the live stream of the exciting event.

–@teemunny

 

CNET has the recap

 

Preliminary figures (awaiting official record data):

Altitude reached: 128,097 feet
Total time from jump to landing: 9 minutes and 3 seconds (9:03)
Freefall duration: 4 minutes and 19 seconds (4:19)
Speed: 1137 km per hour (707 miles per hour)

 

Official Records from Felix’s Jump from the Edge of Space:

Speed achieved: 1,342.8 km/h / 833.9 mph – Confirming Felix broke speed of sound
Time before going supersonic: 34 seconds
Jump altitude of 39,045 meters / 128,100 feet
Vertical distance of freefall: 36,529 meters / 119,846 feet
Total time freefall: 4 minutes 22 seconds
Total jump to landing: 9 minutes 9 seconds
Chute pulled: 5,300ft

 

UPDATE: Helmet cam! via

 

 

UPDATE 2:

LMAO:

The LEGO version:

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