Crazy: Man Set to Jump to Earth from Space on October 8

Baumgartner gets set to leap from his capsule at an altitude of roughly 71,500 feet on March 15, 2012, during a test in preparation for the October leap
(CREDIT: Jay Nemeth/Red Bull Content Pool)

Come the eighth of October, 2012, the world would be witnessing either of two things – the setting of another world record in skydiving or… something else that we do not want to talk about. On that date, Felix Baumgartner, someone who has been described simply as an Austrian daredevil, plans to leap from nearly 23 miles above the Earth.
According to space.com, “if all goes according to plan, a helium-filled balloon will lift off from Roswell, N.M., on Oct. 8 and carry Felix Baumgartner’s custom-built capsule to an altitude of 120,000 feet (36,576 meters). The daredevil will then step out of the capsule into the void, breaking a skydiving record that has stood for 52 years.” Before now, Baumgartner’s 2,900-pound (1,315 kilograms) capsule was damaged in a hard landing during a July 25 practice run from 97,146 feet (29,610 m), forcing a delay while repairs were made. But on Monday (Sept. 24), officials with Red Bull Stratos — the name of Baumgartner’s mission — declared the capsule fit for launch and set Oct. 8 as the target date for the skydiver’s “space jump”.
The current record holder for the highest free fall, for over 40 years now is Joe Kittinger. He plunged into space from a high of 31km with nothing but a primitive pressure suit and parachute.
Talk about daring nature… One wonder how long the free fall will take; what would Felix Baumgartner spend that period of time doing? Thinking? About what? Perhaps he should take a book along!
Source: space.com