An Extreme Test of Limits

                Yesterday, a man named Felix Baumgartner set the world record of the highest free fall of 24 miles, more than 120,000 feet above the Earth. The previous world record was 102,800 feet, or 19 miles that was set 52 years ago by an Air Force test pilot named Joe Kittinger. The technology nowadays is more advanced which allowed Baumgartner to test the new limits and capabilities of bailing from aircraft at high altitudes.

                More than eight million people watched the free fall that was broadcasted live on YouTube. The free fall itself lasted more than four minutes, at a speed of 830 miles per hour that was a VERY long fall. Baumgartner rode up to that altitude in what looks sort of like the capsule that astronauts fall back to the Earth in when they come back from space. The capsule was attached to a special balloon that carried him up 24 miles into space. When he reached 24 miles, he simply stepped out of the capsule and off of the platform and began his free fall. In order to withstand the extreme temperatures, he wore a special suit that provided him thermo protection and oxygen in order to breathe.

                I can’t fathom how much courage and practice it would take to be ready for a fall like that. I can barely think about normal skydiving much less THAT type of skydiving, or more rather space-diving. Felix Baumgartner is fifty two years old right now. To be fifty two and do that would take a lot of courage. I might expect a twenty year old or someone like that who is young and stupid to attempt it but I guess his age just means that he probably put a lot of thought, planning, and practice into his stunt. The free fall just goes to show how many new things we can still do even though there have been so many monumental things already done. (325)