FELIX BAUMGARTNER, THE Austrian skydiver who jumped from the edge of space in October, fell at 1.25 times the speed of sound, even faster than thought, organisers said yesterday.
According to a final analysis by Baumgartner’s team Red Bull Stratos, the 43-year-old reached 1,357.6 kilometres (843.6 miles) an hour, or Mach 1.25, in freefall.
Previously his team had said that the experienced skydiver had plunged back to Earth in his specially made spacesuit at 834 miles an hour or Mach 1.24.
The Federation Aeronautique Internationale governing body is currently reviewing whether to confirm this as a world record, Red Bull Stratos said.
Baumgartner’s leap from a capsule at 38,969.4 metres (127,852.4 feet) above California on October 14 was watched live by millions on television and the Internet.
The final data is available here but for your mind-blowing pleasure here are some of the crazy stats:
Altitude at which Felix Baumgartner stepped off the capsule:
38,969.4 metres / 127,852.4 feet
Fastest speed achieved during freefall:
1,357.6 kph / 843.6 mph (Mach 1.25)
Time elapse before reaching speed of sound during freefall:
34 seconds
Vertical distance of freefall:
36,402.6 metres / 119,431.1 feet
Time to reach maximum speed (Mach 1.25):
50 seconds
Duration of supersonic velocity:
30 seconds
Duration of “flat” spin:
About 13 seconds
Total time spent in freefall:
4 minutes 20 seconds
Chute pulled:
8,421.3 feet / 2,566.8 metres above sea level (approximately 5,000 feet / 1,525 metres above ground level)
Total time from the moment he jumped to landing:
9 minutes 18 seconds
Total time from launch of balloon to Felix’s landing:
2 hours 47 minutes
Minimum temperature (at 59,721 feet / 18,203 metres):
-95.62 Fahrenheit / -70.9 Celsius
And the records he broke?
- Maximum Vertical Speed:* 1,357.6 kph / 843.6 mph / Mach 1.25
- Highest Exit (Jump) Altitude:* 38,969.4 metres / 127,852.4 feet
- Vertical Distance of Freefall:* 36,402.6 metres / 119,431.1 feet
- Highest Manned Balloon Ascent: 39,068.5 metres / 128,177.5 feet
- First person to break the speed of sound in freefall, without the protection or propulsion of a vehicle
- Highest untethered altitude outside a vehicle
- Largest balloon ever flown with a human aboard: 29.47 million cubic feet
- Fastest overland speed of manned balloon: 135.7 miles per hour / 117.9 knots
- additional reporting by Susan Daly
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