Red Bull Record-Breaking Skydive Capsule Finalized

The contraption that will take a skydiver higher than any skydiver has ever gone before is all set and ready to go. The capsule, which measures 8 feet in diameter, is built to withstand temperatures as extreme as -70 degrees Farenheit, and is fully pressurized for taking a human being safely into the stratosphere. It still takes some major courage to be that kind of guinea pig, though

The man who will inhabit it is named Felix Baumgartner, and he'll be breaking the world record that was set by one Joe Kittinger all the way back in 1960. Yes, in more than 50 years no one has been able to (or been courageous enough) to free-fall from higher than 102,800 feet. Baumgartner, though, will shatter it if all goes according to plan.

He'll go all the way up 120,000 feet into the sky, a task that will take nearly three hours to complete. He, along with his capsule, will then dive quickly back to the Earth's surface. The capsule is, of course, equipped with a parachute. Not only will Baumgartner set a new free-fall record, he'll also be the first human to break to speed of sound during free-fall. The jump will happen later this year above New Mexico.

[via Wired]