Felix Baumgartner Said To Be Preparing For Record-Breaking Skydive

The Red Bull Stratos Team may be close to an announcement that Felix Baumgartner will attempt his record-setting skydive in August over the New Mexico desert.

Baumgartner (pictured) has for years been working to attempt the jump, which will begin from a balloon at 120,000 feet ... literally the fringe of space. His free fall would take 10 minutes, and he would exceed the speed of sound as he falls through the thin layers of the upper atmosphere.

The London Daily Mail reports that Baumgartner plans to make two practice jumps, from 60,000 feet and 90,000 feet, before attempting the 23-mile free fall.

The program has been on-again, off-again, most recently postponed when promoter Daniel Hogan said the idea for the stunt was his, and sued to stop it. That lawsuit was settled last year.

If he is successful, Baumgartner will set four worlds records with the jump. They would be highest-altitude freefall, highest manned balloon flight, longest distance travelled in freefall and fastest freefall.

FMI: www.redbull.com/cs/Satellite/en_INT/Red-Bull-Stratos/001242810637490