A trip to the edge of space. RedBull is all about doing projects that break all kinds of records.
RedBull stratos has to be one of RedBull’s most ambitious projects. Check out some facts below.
The Project
The Red Bull Stratos Project was the first non-governmental mission to put a man on the edge of space. The purpose of the mission was to gather valuable information on how the body copes with the extreme conditions near space.
The Man
Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian skydiver and daredevil, held several world records before being approached for the Red Bull Stratos Project in 2005, including a world record for BASE jumping in West Virginia.
The Capsule
The capsule weighed approximately 2,900 pounds and consisted of four main components–the pressure sphere, shell, cage, and the base and crush pads.
The Suit
The suit was specially designed to withstand the high-altitude jump. Felix reportedly suffered from extreme claustrophobia while wearing the suit and had to seek the help of a sports psychologist to overcome the issue.
Preparation
The preparation for the project began in 2005 and took more than 7 years.
Test Jumps
he team performed two test jumps in preparation for the project. The first from an altitude of 71,581 feet on March 15, 2012 and the second from an altitude of 97,145 on July 25, 2012.
On A Mission
On October 14, 2012, Felix jumped from an altitude of 128,100 feet; breaking the record for the highest freefall as well as the highest manned balloon flight.
Freefall
Felix’s jump lasted for just over 9 minutes, with nearly five of those being in freefall. Felix stated that he nearly lost consciousness during the fall due to uncontrollable spinning.
The Landing
Felix’s parachute weighed more than 60 pounds and had to be custom made. Before his jump in 2012, no parachute could be guaranteed for jumps higher than 25,000 feet.
Record-Breaking Statistics
Felix was the first man to break the sound of speed in freefall. His supersonic fall reportedly reached a speed of nearly 834 mph.