Skydiver Felix Baumgartnerto Jump From Edge of Space
ROSWELL, NM – MARCH 15: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this photo provided by Red Bull, Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria seen on his way to the capsule during the first manned test flight for Red Bull Stratos on March 15, 2012 in Roswell, New Mexico. In this test he reach the altitude 21800 meters (71500 ft) and landed safely near Roswell. Red Bull Stratos is a mission to the edge of the earths atmosphere, where upon reaching altitude of 120,000 feet by helium baloon, pilot and basejumper Felix Baumgartner will then freefall to the ground in an attempt to break the speed of sound. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
By GINA SUNSERI
ROSWELL, New Mexico, July 23, 2012
It seems appropriate that Roswell, ground zero for UFO hunters, is hosting the mission to the edge of space — because the sight of daredevil Felix Baumgartner diving back to Earth this morning from 90 thousand feet will certainly spark new UFO conspiracy theories.Baumgartner will go from zero to perhaps 509 mph in 30 seconds when he steps out of his space capsule Tuesday morning. He hit 365 mph when he jumped from 71,000 feet in March — and he will go supersonic in August when he dives from 120 thousand feet. That’s zero to 690 mph in 25 seconds — a human body breaking the sound barrier without an airplane. Most people go to the edge of space or beyond in a rocket — Baumgartner is going up in a capsule carried aloft by a huge helium balloon.
Read more at ABC News.
July 23, 2012
World