Stratos Challenge

Red Bull Stratos, a mission to the edge of space, seeks to surpass limits that have existed for 50 years. Felix Baumgartner will undertake a stratospheric balloon flight to 120,000 feet and attempt a freefall jump targeted to reach – for the first time in history – supersonic speeds.

Driven by Red Bull and a stellar team of scientists and specialists, the mission aims to deliver valuable lessons in human endurance and high-altitude technology.

History of High-Altitude Human Flight

Retired United States Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger established the potential for humans to survive in space, setting the stage for manned space programs.

In the 1950s, scientists dreamed of exploring the upper atmosphere and beyond. But first someone had to prove that humans could survive such extreme conditions. That someone was Joe Kittinger, whose Manhigh and Excelsior missions changed history.

Project Manhigh used manned balloon flights to explore the upper reaches of the atmosphere, gathering data in human physiology and psychology, capsule design, aerodynamics, cosmic radiation, meteorology and astronaut training. Joe piloted a balloon and pressurized capsule to an unofficial record of 97,000 feet on June 2, 1957, and NASA initiated the Mercury spaceflight program the following year.

Project Excelsior tested whether pilots could survive high-altitude bailouts. As project test director, Joe made three jumps. While the third set records that stand today, it was the first jump that almost became Joe's last.

The Jumps

Excelsior I: On November 16, 1959, Joe jumped from an altitude of more than 76,400 feet. When a timer triggered his main chute too early, Joe went into an uncontrollable spin – the lines wrapped around his neck and he lost consciousness. Only the automatic reserve parachute saved him.

Excelsior II: Less than one month later, on December 11, 1959, Joe jumped from 74,700 feet and landed safely. Encouraged, the team set a new goal to jump from above 100,000 feet.

Excelsior III: On August 16, 1960, Joe ascended to 102,800 feet. Although one glove hadn't inflated, causing grotesque swelling of his hand, Joe took a deep breath, prayed, "Lord, take care of me now," and jumped. He was in freefall for 4 minutes, 36 seconds, reaching an official speed of 614 miles per hour. At 18,000 feet he opened his parachute; the total time from jump to landing was 13 minutes, 45 seconds. The mission was a success.

Stratos Mission

Red Bull Stratos, a mission to the edge of space, will attempt to transcend human limits that have existed for 50 years. Felix Baumgartner plans to ascend to 120,000 feet in a stratospheric balloon and make a freefall jump that rushes toward Earth at supersonic speed before he parachutes to the ground. His feat holds the potential to provide valuable medical and scientific research data for future pioneers.

After completing a record-breaking crossing of the English Channel with a carbon wing in 2003, famed Austrian athlete Felix Baumgartner decided to explore becoming the first parachutist to break the sound barrier. Felix and aerospace expert Art Thompson shared this vision with Red Bull – an organization noted for its keen interest in the possibilities of human flight – and the Red Bull Stratos mission was born.

The Red Bull Stratos team brings together the world’s leading minds in aerospace medicine, engineering, pressure suit development, capsule creation and balloon fabrication. It includes retired United States Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger, who holds three of the venerable records Felix will strive to break. Yet not even Joe can be sure how Felix’s body will react in a 35-second acceleration to Mach 1.

When the flight is complete, the mission will be far from over. Findings will be widely shared, with the hope of inspiring young learners and informing seasoned researchers who will create the next generation of aerospace crew protective equipment. World records are only part of the story.

Making History

The data captured from the Red Bull Stratos mission holds the potential to chart new possibilities for human flight. Felix Baumgartner will try to break four records – all of which have stood for nearly 50 years – and in the process he may set a new record for all time.

Speed of sound:

In challenging the current speed record, Felix will attempt to become the first human to break the speed of sound in freefall, attaining Mach 1.0 (about 690 mph). In comparison, a skydiver falling in the standard, belly-down position reaches a top speed of about 120 mph.

(Current record, established Aug. 16, 1960, and held by Col. Joseph Kittinger: 614 mph [equivalent to Mach 0.9])

Freefall altitude:

Felix plans to exit the capsule at a minimum altitude of 120,000 feet, almost 23 miles above Earth’s surface. To put it in perspective, that’s about four times higher than a commercial airliner’s cruising altitude.

(Current record, established Aug. 16, 1960, and held by Col. Joseph Kittinger: 102,800 feet)

Highest manned balloon flight altitude:

If he reaches the target altitude of 120,000 feet, Felix will push the limits of manned balloon flight.

(Current record, established on May 4, 1961, and held by Lt. Cdr. Victor A. Prather, Jr., and Cdr. Malcolm Ross: 113,740 feet)

Longest freefall duration:

From the target altitude of 120,000 feet, Felix will likely freefall for approximately 5 minutes and 35 seconds before his main parachute deploys.

(Current record, established Aug. 16, 1960, and held by Col. Joseph Kittinger: 4 minutes, 36 seconds)

Stratos Project Team

Red Bull Stratos differs from previous challenges by the strength and quality of its project team. Supporting Felix Baumgartner's mission is a world-leading team of scientists and specialists in such fields as aeronautics, avionics, life support, medicine, physical chemistry and physiology.

With an unparalleled team, groundbreaking technology and a remarkable pilot, Red Bull Stratos aims for an unprecedented scientific accomplishment that will stretch the understanding of our human potential.

Felix Baumgartner
Role: Pilot

Felix Baumgartner consistently challenges his limits while pushing the physical boundaries of human flight. In 2003, Felix completed an unprecedented flight across the English Channel with a carbon wing, and subsequently he began to consider an even bigger goal: the supersonic grail. With a team of the world's top scientists, engineers and doctors behind him, Felix will attempt to rewrite history and advance aeronautical research with Red Bull Stratos.

Born in Salzburg in 1969, Felix began skydiving at age 16 and polished his skills as part of the Austrian military's demonstration and competition team. In 1988, he began performing skydiving exhibitions for Red Bull. The company's out-of-the-box thinking and Felix's adventurous spirit clicked, and they've collaborated ever since.

By the 1990s, Felix felt that he'd gone as far as he could with traditional skydiving, so he extended his canopy skills with BASE jumping – parachuting from a fixed object or landform. He finds that the lightning-fast reflexes and precise techniques required by such low-altitude feats also enhance his high-altitude skydiving technique.

Besides completing his astonishing Channel crossing, Felix has made world-record BASE jumps and has been nominated for a World Sports Award and two categories in the NEA Extreme Sports Awards. He is also a prominent advocate for the nonprofit Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation. And, while he acknowledges that the Red Bull Stratos mission is a step into the unknown, his determination to reach the edge of space and break the speed of sound is unshakable. "If Red Bull Stratos is successful, we can share data that hasn't been available ever before," Felix states. "I would be proud to be able to make such a contribution."

Felix's accomplishments include:

1997 – World champion title for BASE jumping in West Virginia, United States
1999 – World record BASE jump from the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1,479 feet)
1999 – World record lowest BASE jump from Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (95 feet)
2001 – Nominated for a World Sports Award in London, England (category: Extreme Sports)
2003 – Channel Crossing, Dover, England to Calais, France; first crossing of the English Channel with a carbon wing
2004 – BASE jump into Marmet Cave in Velebit National Parc, Croatia (623 feet deep)
2004 – World record BASE jump from the highest bridge in the world, Millau Bridge, France (1,125 feet)
2007 – BASE jump from world's tallest building, Taipei 101 Tower, Taipei, Taiwan (1,669 feet)

Joe Kittinger – Colonel, United States Air Force (Retired)
Role: Red Bull Stratos Flight Operations and Safety, Capcom I

On August 16, 1960, Joe Kittinger became a real-life superhero. He piloted the Excelsior III balloon to an altitude of 102,800 feet and jumped out – freefalling for 4 minutes, 36 seconds, and reaching a speed of 614 miles per hour. The effort set four world records and established that it would be possible for humans to survive in space.

Born in 1928, Joe attended the University of Florida, trained at the Aviation School at Goodfellow Air Force Base, and served as a fighter pilot in Germany. Later, at the Air Force Missile Development Center in New Mexico, Joe flew experimental jet fighters and participated in aerospace medical research. After surviving a potentially fatal equipment malfunction in 1959, Joe piloted Excelsior III and set records that Felix Baumgartner hopes to break in 2010.

Joe later served as a fighter pilot in Vietnam, where he was shot down and spent 11 months as a prisoner of war. After his release, Joe served as Vice Wing Commander of an F-4 Fighter Wing in England. He retired in 1978 as a Colonel.

Joe's honors include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, Air Medal and Purple Heart. In 1960, President Eisenhower awarded him the Harmon Trophy for outstanding accomplishments in aeronautics. Joe was named a National Aeronautics Association Elder Statesman of Aviation and received a Lifetime Achievement in Aviation trophy from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. For helping pave the way for NASA's astronaut program, he is enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

Joe has contributed his flight operations and safety expertise throughout development of the Red Bull Stratos mission, and on launch day he will serve as Capcom I, the Mission Control Center's primary point of contact with Felix Baumgartner.

Luke Aikins
Role: Red Bull Stratos Aerial Strategist & Skydiving Consultant

As a professional skydiver with 14,000 jumps and two decades of experience, Luke Aikins has a lifelong history of tackling aviation challenges that go beyond the norm. He's one of the few people with the background and body awareness to envision, fabricate and safely resolve the most precarious situations that Felix Baumgartner could encounter on his descent. In the air, Luke models jumping "out of control" to replicate the scenarios Felix could face, and his insights have resulted in improvements to Felix's chest pack, parachute and drogue chute setups.

Born to a family of skydivers, Luke has claimed three world records. He is also expert in the skydiving discipline called "swooping," is recognized as one of the pioneers of combining a canopy with skis, and is an adept BASE jumper. This vast experience makes Luke an important member of the Red Bull Air Force – an elite team of skydivers, BASE jumpers and paraglider pilots who explore and advocate the possibilities of human flight – and he is a valued coach and instructor for jumpers ranging from NASCAR's Brian Vickers to the U.S. Navy Seals.

"We in the skydiving community have pretty much gone as fast as we can from more typical skydiving heights of 12,000 to 16,000 feet: around 340 miles per hour," Luke comments. "The fascinating thing is how much faster you can go in the vacuum-like condition of near space. I'm interested to see what will happen when Felix descends and reaches a point where the air starts to get thick again. Nobody really knows."

Jonathan B. Clark M.D., M.P.H.
Role: Red Bull Stratos Medical Director

Red Bull Stratos Medical Director Jonathan Clark is one of the most distinguished names in aerospace medicine. Formerly a crew surgeon for six Space Shuttle missions, he focuses most particularly on neurologic effects in extreme environments and crew survival in space.

Jon received his master's degree in public health from the University of Alabama and was awarded his doctorate in medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. In his many years of active duty, he qualified as flight officer, flight surgeon, diver and high-altitude freefall parachutist. During his tenure at Johnson Space Center's Flight Medicine Clinic, Jon was chief of the Medical Operations Branch and neurologist and FAA senior aviation medical examiner. He also served on the NASA Spacecraft Survival Integrated Investigation Team, researching aerospace disasters. Jon currently serves as space medicine advisor to the National Space Biomedical Research Institute at Baylor College of Medicine and is on faculty at Baylor's Center for Space Medicine and the University of Texas Medical Branch. Jon is a member of NASA's Constellation Program EVA Systems Standing Review Board and a charter member of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety.

Jon accepted a leading role on the Red Bull Stratos team not only to protect Felix Baumgartner from the effects of high altitude, but also in the hope of establishing new protocols for the benefit of future aviators and astronauts. The recipient of numerous honors, Jon says that the career achievement he's most proud of is flying medical missions in combat during Operation Desert Storm. "Serving my country and saving people at the same time was the highlight of my life," he comments, "and I think that what we achieve with Red Bull Stratos will be a close second."

Einar Enevoldson
Role: Red Bull Stratos Flight Operations, Capcom II

Einar Enevoldson knows what it's like to set a world record. Over a span of 48 years, he has set eight, six that still stand. Einar has flown more than 300 aircraft, tested almost every type of pressure suit and worked with aerospace agencies around the world. He understands the depth of daring and resources Felix Baumgartner will need to complete his mission.

Born in Seattle, Einar received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Wyoming. He was a jet fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force (earning the Distinguished Flying Cross) and attended the Empire Test Pilot's School in England. As a research pilot serving the United States Air Force, the Royal Air Force, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center and private enterprises, Einar achieved breakthroughs in stall and spin-resistance tests, flew aircraft to unprecedented altitudes and acceleration, and twice earned NASA's Exceptional Service Medal. He also developed the meteorological theory that enabled him – at age 73 – and Steve Fossett to take the first-ever glider flight into the stratosphere in the famed Perlan Project.

With Red Bull Stratos, Einar is planning the ground and flight tests, and he will thoroughly analyze the final results when the mission is completed. He says that "the big unknown" is the human ability to control rotation at high altitude, noting: "It's a great technical challenge and a great personal challenge for Felix, but I think he will be up to it."

Vance E. "Bud" McClure, Ph.D.
Role: Red Bull Stratos Physical Chemistry Analyst

Vance "Bud" McClure has played a role in some of the world's most notable aerospace advancements. A journeyman physical chemist, he formulated innovations that helped put the "stealth" in Stealth aircraft, and his problem-solving skills were key to the first successful privately funded human space flight. One of Bud's specialties is thermodynamics – variables of heat and pressure. His input is critical to keeping Felix Baumgartner safe in the stratosphere, where the sun is twice as strong as here on Earth and the atmospheric pressure is about half of that on Mars.

Growing up in California, Bud dreamed of becoming an aeronautical engineer until he discovered physical chemistry. He received degrees from The Principia College and The University of California, Riverside; a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of California, San Diego; and a post-doctoral fellowship with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Bud worked in environmental meteorology, oceanography and alternative energy before turning to aerospace. As principal investigator for McDonnell-Douglas Technologies, he pioneered a design process that became part of Stealth development. He subsequently tackled projects for NASA, the U.S. Navy and Air Force, the Federal Aviation Administration and private aircraft designers, including analysis for SpaceShipOne and co-production of a patented method for structural fabrication.

In working to solve the thermodynamic problems posed by Felix's mission, Bud addresses the capsule, the pressure suit, and their gas and power supply systems. "The challenges are vast," he acknowledges. "When they say this mission goes to the edge of space, they're not kidding."

Andrew A. Pilmanis, Ph.D.
Role: Red Bull Stratos Mission Physiologist

Dr. Andrew A. Pilmanis is an expert on how the body reacts to atmospheric pressure. His career in research and instruction has spanned the full spectrum of the pressure continuum, from the depths of the sea to the reaches of space. As the Red Bull Stratos mission physiologist, Andy uses his expertise to prepare Felix Baumgartner and advise the entire team; and when Felix completes the mission, Andy's data analysis will help to inform the next generation of pilots and astronauts.

Born in Latvia and raised in California, Andy received his Ph.D. in physiology at the University of Southern California and continued there on the faculty to teach and conduct research at the medical school and at the USC Catalina Marine Science Center. He was also the director of the Science Center's Hyperbaric Chamber Program, where he conducted research and directly supervised more than 600 diving accident treatments. Andy was the initiator and director of the USC/NOAA National Undersea Research Program, which built NOAA's Aquarius underwater habitat, currently operating off Key Largo. In 1989, he became the principal scientist in charge of the USAF High Altitude Protection unit at Brooks Air Force Base in Texas, directing research in applied altitude physiology. Andy is extensively published in altitude decompression sickness and other altitude and diving topics.

Now retired, Andy works as a consultant in hypobaric and hyperbaric physiology. To facilitate Red Bull Stratos planning, he studied and reported on the mission's potential physiological hazards. Andy notes, "Anytime you push limits such as these, the data obtained defines the extremes of the physiological responses. The findings enable future development."

Sean Purdom
Role: Red Bull Stratos Mission Director

Over the course of his career, Sean Purdom has managed massive initiatives, including construction of a critical sector of a Kennedy Space Center launch complex. As the Red Bull Stratos mission director, he's coordinating the expert teams behind Felix Baumgartner's endeavor and aligning their work toward a challenging supersonic goal.

Sean holds a degree in training and leadership and is a recognized expert in hydraulics. His primary area of career focus is technical training and project management. Besides serving as project manager for a $5 million portion of Lockheed Martin Aerospace's construction of Space Launch Complex-41 at Kennedy Space Center, Sean managed a key segment of a Northrop Grumman project for the U.S. Postal Service, served as training and project manager for a $50 million manufacturing facility startup, and managed global projects for Agilent Technologies. Sean has been responsible for the analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation of training programs for numerous plant-specific equipment and manufacturing systems. His project management duties have included all aspects of client interface, including negotiation of contracts and program analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation.

Sean made a temporary move from Utah to California so that he could take on the role of Red Bull Stratos mission director. "I'm responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the mission meet or exceed expectations in quality, schedule and budget," he explains, noting that his duties include coordinating the efforts of international experts working in multiple locations. "Ultimately, I'm here to help drive the project to completion."

Art Thompson
Role: Red Bull Stratos Technical Project Director

Art Thompson was Felix Baumgartner's earliest collaborator in envisioning Red Bull Stratos. As technical project director, Art assembled the mission's extraordinary team, and today he drives key areas of technical development such as the capsule creation and chamber tests.

Art possesses more than three decades of experience in innovating leading-edge design that has produced major milestones in aerospace history, including development of the B-2 "Stealth" aircraft. A California native, he studied engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, and attended the University of La Verne and Northrop University. It was while working for Northrop Corporation that he served on a team brainstorming ideas for an aircraft that could avoid radar detection; their design would become the B-2 Spirit. Art co-founded his own company, Sage Cheshire Aerospace, Inc., to provide a wide range of aerospace needs, from initial design and engineering to finished product, while a sister business, A2ZFX Inc., extends the benefit of Art's creative thinking to other fields – producing tools, molds, digital products, and more for clients from aerospace manufacturers to movie producers for films like "Batman & Robin," for which Art and his team built the Batmobile.

It's that combination of drive, vision, excellence, and innovation that led Felix to entrust Art with leadership in developing the Red Bull Stratos mission. While Art's Sage Cheshire crew is designing, building, and testing the capsule to protect Felix and the mission's critical technology, his industry knowledge and stellar reputation have allowed him to assemble an unparalleled team for the other components of the project. Art notes, "There are so many great stories among the people working on this mission; with Red Bull Stratos, we're writing another one."

Mike Todd
Role: Red Bull Stratos Life Support Engineer

Mike Todd – who worked in Lockheed's High Altitude Life Support and Pressure Suit Division for almost 30 years – acts as a primary advisor and liaison for Red Bull Stratos team engineers and pressure suit manufacturer David Clark Company, striving to ensure that the suit design and all mission equipment integrate flawlessly.

Raised in Texas, Mike attended college, then worked at the Pioneer Parachute Company as an associate engineer, designer and test jumper before beginning his long career with Lockheed's advanced development group (the "Skunk Works"), helping to solve some of the most exciting challenges in aerospace. After retirement, he helped Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson set a new glider altitude record in the Perlan Project. Mike has earned a "D" license – the highest class possible – from the Parachute Club of America, an FAA senior parachute rigger's license, an FAA commercial pilot's license and a commercial helicopter license.

Mike's Red Bull Stratos responsibilities cover a broad spectrum. Much of his energy is focused directly on the pressure suit: engineering, system design, coordination, operation, handling, fitting, and field support. But, because much also depends on how the suit works in conjunction with other mission components, Mike additionally provides coordination and support for parachute retrieval systems and laboratory operations, as well as engineering input on design, layout and operation of the capsule in relation to the pressure suit and parachute.