Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner has lifted off on his mission to break a series of freefall records.
Live stream http://www.redbullstratos.com/live
His giant helium balloon left the ground at Roswell, New Mexico, a short while ago and is currently on a climb that should take it to more than 120,000ft (36.5km).
Baumgartner will then jump out.
The near absence of air at this high altitude means he should break the speed of sound as he falls - a velocity in excess of 690mph (1,110km/h).
The journey down should take 10 minutes, about half of it in freefall.
No-one has ever gone so high in a balloon, nor attempted to make such a high skydive.
The current record for the biggest jump of all time is now 52 years old. It was set by US Air Force Col Joe Kittinger when he leapt from a helium envelope at an altitude of 102,800ft (31.3km).
can't wait
Live stream http://www.redbullstratos.com/live
His giant helium balloon left the ground at Roswell, New Mexico, a short while ago and is currently on a climb that should take it to more than 120,000ft (36.5km).
Baumgartner will then jump out.
The near absence of air at this high altitude means he should break the speed of sound as he falls - a velocity in excess of 690mph (1,110km/h).
The journey down should take 10 minutes, about half of it in freefall.
No-one has ever gone so high in a balloon, nor attempted to make such a high skydive.
The current record for the biggest jump of all time is now 52 years old. It was set by US Air Force Col Joe Kittinger when he leapt from a helium envelope at an altitude of 102,800ft (31.3km).
can't wait
