Red Bull to attempt skydive from space

ROSWELL, NM (KRQE) - A world record skydive from the edge of outer space will be attempted high over the plains of Southeastern New Mexico this summer.

In a project called "Red Bull Stratos" , the energy drink company says its skydiver, Felix Baumgartner, will try to break a 52-year old altitude record and several others by freefalling from about 23 miles above the earth. Protected by a spacesuit, Baumgartner will ride in a high-tech capsule suspended below a giant plastic helium balloon similar to those used by NASA.

During his 10-minute freefall, Baumgartner's body will exceed the speed of sound, more than 700 miles per hour.

Baumgartner recently completed training with his pressure suit and capsule in an altitude chamber that simulated conditions found in the near vacuum and extreme cold at the top of the earth’s atmosphere.

“According to altitude, temperature and pressure, (it) has providing us a lot of confidence because before I didn't really know what to expect,” Baumgartner said in an interview with KRQE News 13 this week. “I didn't know how cold it's going to be.”

Baumgartner says the open country around Roswell and the good summer weather are ideal for the Red Bull record attempt.

“I'm super happy with Roswell because it pretty much is a big, giant landing area,” he said. “The wind speed in summertime is really low. This is what we need for launching balloons.”

The Red Bull team is taking a methodical approach. The hardware and procedures have been under development for five years.

“We’re not going to go from zero to hero,” Baumgartner said.

Two unmanned test flights recently conducted over Roswell were successful and Baumgartner says they will now be followed by two practice jumps at 60,000 feet and 90,000 feet.

He predicts the final jump from about 120,000 feet above the earth will come in July or August.

It is a day he dreams about.

“Being surrounded by nothing and looking down on earth, totally by myself. I think this will be a moment that I really enjoy,” Baumgartner said.

The Red Bull team hopes some of the new technology they are developing will someday be used by space tourists and others transiting extreme altitudes.

Although he plans to set several new world skydiving records, the present altitude record is held by retired USAF Col. Joe Kittinger. In 1960, Kittinger rode a balloon to 102,800 feet above Alamogordo, NM before jumping.

Kittinger is now a leader in the Red Bull ground crew and will be the mission controller during Baumgartner’s flights.