ROSWELL, N.M. (WKOW) -- Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner has landed on earth after jumping from a balloon 24 miles above earth in what could be the world's first supersonic skydive.
Baumgartner landed in eastern New Mexico desert minutes after jumping from 28,000 feet, or 24 miles.
He lifted his arms in victory shortly after landing.
Baumgartner climbed into the stratosphere in a pressurized capsule carried by a helium balloon Tuesday and then jumped into a near vacuum at about 128,000 feet, or more than 24 miles, high.
Baumgartner he was expected to hit speeds of about 290 mph before activating his parachute about 5,000 feet above the ground.
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ROSWELL, N.M. (WKOW) -- Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner has started his ascent to 23 miles above Earth, hoping to do a free fall that could make him the first skydiver to break the sound barrier.
The team working with Baumgartner inflated the 55-story ultra-thin helium balloon Sunday morning and it is designed to lift him to the stratosphere. It is expected to take three hours to climb into the stratosphere.
Baumgartner has donned his high-tech pressurized suit and is on board a 3,000-pound capsule that is lifted by the balloon.
Baumgartner will jump into a near vacuum with no oxygen to begin what is expected to be the fastest, farthest free fall from the highest-ever manned balloon.
Any contact with the capsule on his exit could tear the pressurized suit, a rip that could expose him to a lack of oxygen and temperatures as low as minus 70 degrees.
The former Austrian paratrooper's jump was postponed twice last week because of high winds.
If successful, "Fearless Felix" will break a 52-year-old altitude record by Joe Kittinger, who jumped from 19.5 miles (31 kilometers) and reached a speed of 614 mph (988 kph), just under the sound barrier.
