Felix Baumgartner Hopes For Supersonic Free Fall From An Altitude Of 23 Miles

Mission managers for the Red Bull Stratos Program say that Felix Baumgartner is prepping for his record-setting free fall from the fringe of space on October 8. If all goes according to plan, Baumgartner will exit his capsule some 23 miles over the New Mexico desert and break the sound barrier as he returns to Earth.

In July, Baumgartner (pictured) jumped from 18 miles in a tune-up for the record attempt. He had originally planned to make the record jump in August, but his capsule was damaged in the last test run, and needed to be repaired.

The program's managers now say that the capsule has been repaired and tested. Fox News reports that, in a statement, Baumgartner said "I feel like a tiger in a cage waiting to get out."

The plan calls for Baumgartner to reach a top speed of 690 miles per hour in free fall, breaking the sound barrier with his body. It would set records for the highest jump, and the fastest speed achieved during a free fall.

The mission managers say that early autumn is an ideal time for the attempt, with favorable weather conditions expected at the time of the attempt. The repaired capsule is reportedly on its way to Roswell, New Mexico, according to the program's official blog.

The current altitude record is 18 miles, and the speed record is 614 miles per hour. Both were set by former U.S. Air Force Captain Joe Kittinger during a military project in 1960.

FMI: www.redbullstratos.com/