In jumping out of a balloon 128,100ft (24 miles; 39km) above New Mexico, the 43-year-old also smashed the record for the highest ever freefall.

 

He said he almost aborted² the dive because his helmet visor（密封头盔观察窗） fogged up.

 

It took just under 10 minutes for him to descend³. Only the last few thousand feet were negotiated by parachute（降落伞）.

 

Once down, he fell to his knees and raised his fists in triumph. Helicopter recovery teams were on hand moments later. 

 

"Let me tell you - when I was standing⁴ there on top of the world, you become so humble⁵. You don't think about breaking records anymore, you don't think about gaining scientific data - the only thing that you want is to come back alive," he said afterwards at a media conference.

 

None of the new marks set by Baumgartner can be classed as "official" until endorsed⁶ by the Federation⁷ Aeronautique Internationale (FAI).

 

Its representative was the first to greet the skydiver on the ground. GPS data recorded on to a microcard in the Austrian's chest pack will form the basis for the height and speed claims that are made.

 

These will be submitted formally through the Aerosport Club of Austria for certification. 

 

There was concern early in the dive that Baumgartner was in trouble. He was supposed to get himself into a delta⁸ position - head down, arms swept back - as soon as possible after leaving his capsule. But the video showed him tumbling over and over. 

 

Eventually, however, he was able to use his great experience, from more than 2,500 career dives, to correct his fall and get into a stable configuration⁹.

 

Even before this drama, it was thought the mission might have to be called off. As he went through last-minute checks inside the capsule, it was found that a heater for his visor was not working. This meant the visor fogged up as he exhaled¹⁰.

 

"This is very serious, Joe," he told retired¹¹ US Air Force Col Joe Kittinger, whose records he was attempting to break, and who was acting¹² as his radio link in mission control at Roswell airport. 

 

The team took a calculated risk to proceed after understanding why the problem existed.

 

Baumgartner's efforts have finally toppled records that have stood for more than 50 years.

 

Kittinger set his marks for the highest, farthest, and longest freefall when he leapt from a helium envelope in 1960. His altitude was 102,800ft (31km). (His record for the longest freefall remains¹³ intact - he fell for more than four and a half minutes before deploying¹⁴ his chute; Baumgartner was in freefall for four minutes and 20 seconds).

 

Kittinger, now an octogenarian, has been an integral part of Baumgartner's team, and has provided the Austrian with advice and encouragement whenever the younger man has doubted his ability to complete such a daring venture.

 

"Felix did a great job and it was a great honour to work with this brave guy," the elder man said.

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