Ten years ago, Felix Baumgartner fell from a capsule at an altitude of almost 39 kilometers. There are also important scientific findings to be made – just a short time later, a Google executive untied his record again. What was left of the spectacular multi-million dollar project?
“I’m coming home now.” It was a simple phrase that tens of millions of people around the world heard on their television and computer screens on October 14, 2012. Austrian extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner, then 43 years old, dared something no one had dared before – jumping out of a capsule followed by a free fall from a height of almost 39 kilometers.
Red Bull with a new documentary about Baumgartner’s jump
A few minutes of trepidation later, it was clear: yes, a human being can break the sound barrier. The Red Bull Stratos project broke three world records (see image below). Highest speed (1357.6 km/h), highest jump height (38,969.4 meters) and 36.4 kilometers in free fall. “I believe we have left a legacy,” says record holder Felix Baumgartner in the documentary “Space Jump: How the Red Bull Stratos Caused a Sensation Around the World,” released today on Red Bull TV.
With the 16-fold media reach of the Summer Olympics, at least a legacy has been left behind. 77 broadcasters broadcast the jump, YouTube servers were nearly brought to their knees, and the video has over a billion clicks. The transmission system was the world’s first remote-controlled system and the capsule, which also functioned as a television studio, was unique. Today, similar concepts are used at sporting events such as the Americas Cup.
Mainly gained medical knowledge
Science also benefits greatly, especially research into the extreme athlete’s head in the middle of space. According to NASA experts, the Austrian’s mission mainly provided medical knowledge that would otherwise not have been available. Shortly after the landing, one of the US space agency’s engineers was delighted with the new foundations being laid to increase the survivability of astronauts, space tourists, pilots and passengers at extreme altitudes.
From a purely physical point of view, the results were also usable! The most stunning result and impressive confirmation of aerodynamic spheres: irregularly shaped bodies (including folds, any dents, etc.) sometimes offer less air resistance than smooth objects. The former, in turn, become faster. This in turn can be used in aviation. For example, when striving for higher cruising speeds…
Felix Baumgartner on the jump, Tom Cruise and mom
“Krone”: Felix, it’s been ten years since you jumped. What feelings come to you?
Felix Baumgartner: I don’t think much about it, even though I’m glad there’s still so much interest. I still give lectures all over the world, since then the interest has been unbroken.
What question are you most confronted with during lectures?
How could I do that to my mother (laughs).
And how could you do that to Mom?
She is my life person and has always supported me. She knew: the boy wants that. If I hadn’t made the leap for her, I would have been unhappy for the rest of my life. A mother always suffers, I am impressed by the unconditional love of mothers.
How did the jump actually feel for you?
The first was that hopefully we would leave. There were a number of problems and delays. You have a lot to do in the pod, then I thought: I hope the door opens. When it was open, it was a very positive moment, but there was no time for too many thoughts.
What was your last thought before jumping?
I could say something philosophical now, but I once asked Neil Armstrong the same thing. You just work through it point by point. But the pitch-black sky, the absolute silence, the slight curvature of the earth, that was breathtaking. Shortly after, however, all you think about is good jumping.
What has changed in your life since then?
The jump opened a lot of doors for me, I was with the king of Kuwait and American presenter Jay Leno. I talked to Tom Cruise about flying there. I was named Adventurer of the Year by National Geographic, met James Cameron and others. You are just grateful to meet such people, I never thought that.
You have achieved a lot, what do you still dream of?
I would have loved to have stood on the moon, would have liked to have seen the earth as a sphere in all its beauty and fragility.
But you certainly have plans that can be carried out. Can you reveal anything?
I already have a project in mind where I haven’t found anyone with whom it could be realized for a long time. That changed by a chance meeting – and yes, it is in the planning phase, the first steps begin.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
