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Skydiver will go supersonic in record breaking jump from edge of space

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Captain Joe Kittinger's record breaking jumpOn August 8, 2012, Australian skydiver Felix Baumgartner, will board a helium filled balloon in Roswell, New Mexico, climb to 120,000 feet (23 miles above the Earth), and then jump, breaking a world record that has stood for 52 years.

The previous world record was set in 1960 by U.S. Air Force Captain Joe Kittinger who jumped from 102,800 feet during Air Force sponsored high-altitude tests. During Kittinger’s record breaking jump, after he reached a maximum speed of 614 MPH, pressurization in his right glove malfunctioned causing is right hand to swell up to twice its normal size. He set historical numbers for highest balloon ascent, highest parachute jump, longest drogue-fall (four minutes), and fastest speed by a human being through the atmosphere. Kittinger is serving as an advisor for Baumgartner’s mission.

During the free fall to Earth, Baumgartner will reach supersonic speeds and break not only the sound barrier, but also the record for fastest speed by a human being through the atmosphere.

Note: Red Bull’s marketing promo describes the jump as “a jump from the edge of space” even though “the edge of space” is generally considered to begin at 62 miles or 327,000 feet.

Sources: Christian Science Monitor
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