Joseph Kittinger
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Joseph William Kittinger II was an officer in the United States Air Force (USAF) who served from 1950 to 1978, and earned Command Pilot status before retiring with the rank of colonel. He held the world record for the highest skydive—102,800 feet (31.3 km)—from 1960 until 2012.
Colonel Joseph W. Kittinger II, USAF (pictured as a captain) First person to conduct stratospheric space diving
Kittinger next to the Excelsior gondola
Kittinger's record-breaking skydive from Excelsior III
Replica of Excelsior III gondola and mannequin of Kittinger at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Red Bull Stratos
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Red Bull Stratos was a high-altitude skydiving project involving Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner. On 14 October 2012, Baumgartner flew approximately 39 kilometres (24 mi) into the stratosphere over New Mexico, United States, in a helium balloon before free falling in a pressure suit and then parachuting to Earth. The total jump, from leaving the capsule to landing on the ground, lasted approximately ten minutes. While the free fall was initially expected to last between five and six minutes, Baumgartner deployed his parachute after 4 minutes and 19 seconds.
At 12:08 MDT and at an altitude of 39 kilometres, Baumgartner jumped from the capsule. These images span the first five seconds of the jump.
The Red Bull Stratos capsule on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center