Experienced skydiver and extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner hopes to take the leap of his life on Tuesday, attempting the highest, fastest free fall in history.
If he falls fast enough, the man dubbed "Fearless Felix" could be the first skydiver to break the sound barrier. His high-risk jump will be live-streamed on the Internet for the world to see.
Rigged with cameras, the 43-year-old former military parachutist from Austria is scheduled to jump from a balloon-hoisted capsule 23 miles above southeastern New Mexico near Roswell.
But whether he and his capsule get off the ground depends on the weather. A breeze over 2 mph is too risky for the huge, but delicate balloon carrying him to the stratosphere. The project is sponsored by energy drink maker Red Bull.
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Skydiver eyes record-breaking jump over NM (2012, October 8)
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