Kittinger Falls 102,000 Feet: Highest Jump Ever
Captain Joseph Kittinger stepped out of the open gondola of the Excelsior III balloon at 102,800 feet above New Mexico on August 16, 1960, and fell for four minutes and 36 seconds. He reached a maximum speed of 614 miles per hour, just short of the sound barrier, in temperatures approaching minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit. His right glove had depressurized during the ascent, causing his hand to swell to twice its normal size. He told no one, fearing the jump would be cancelled. The stabilization drogue chute deployed correctly, preventing the fatal flat spin that had nearly killed another pilot in a previous attempt. Kittinger's records stood for 52 years until Felix Baumgartner jumped from 128,100 feet in 2012.
August 16, 1960
66 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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