Home International Austrian adventurer’s skydive bid called off

Austrian adventurer’s skydive bid called off

By IANS,

London: Austrian adventurer Felix Baumgartner who was to make the highest ever skydive was left frustrated Tuesday after his attempt had to be called off due to unfavourable winds.

Baumgartner, known for jumping off skyscrapers, intends to become the first human to break the sound barrier unaided by a vehicle.

Unfavourable winds at Roswell, New Mexico, have prevented the launch of the helium balloon that was to take him to more than 120,000ft (36.5km), BBC reported Tuesday.

The next best day for a record bid now seems to be Thursday, say meteorologists.

Because of the rarity of the atmosphere at 120,000ft, Baumgartner would accelerate rapidly once he stepped out of his balloon’s capsule.

Calculations suggest he could achieve Mach 1, thought to be around 690mph (1,110km/h), at the target altitude — within 40 seconds. But now it will all have to wait for another day.