In 1960, a man by the name of Joe Kittinger rode a helium balloon into outer space, then jumped out and fell to Earth. It sounds pretty unbelievable, but it is well documented.
Kittinger was a United States Air Force pilot who was involved in several space aviation projects. Project Excelsior entailed three jumps, and the final one is featured in this clip. Kittinger jumped from an altitude of 102,800 feet.
Kittinger set four world records during this jump alone. He is known as the world’s fastest human because he reached a top speed of 714 miles per hour during the freefall.
Kittinger opened his parachute at 18,000 feet, and completed the jump with no injuries. While he had a distinguished Air Force career and participated in numerous other projects, it is this jump that he is most recognized for.
