Austrian Felix Baumgartner breaks highest skydive record

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Austrian Felix Baumgartner breaks highest skydive record

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Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner jumped from the edge of space Sunday.

14 October,2012 11:44 pm

Felix Baumgartner has broken the record for the highest ever skydive by jumping out of a balloon 128,000ft (39km) above New Mexico.The 43-year-old was hoping also to break the sound barrier during his descent - although that mark awaits confirmation.It took 10 minutes for him to reach the desert surface below. Only the last few thousand feet were negotiated by parachute.Helicopter recovery teams have gone to the Austrians landing site to return him to the mission control centre set up at Roswell airport.Baumgartners efforts have finally toppled records that have stood for more than 50 years.The previous highest, farthest, and longest freefall was made by retired US Air Force Col Joe Kittinger, who leapt from a helium envelope in 1960. His altitude was 102,800ft (31.3km).