Millions of people around the world observed an unbelievable feat yesterday as Felix Baumgartner jumped out of a balloon-slung capsule floating at the astonishing altitude of 128,097 feet and then safely landed in the record books.
Curiously, the best angle from the whole free fall jump so far -- Baumgartner's chest camera -- didn't make it to the general live-stream footage. The video from this perspective reveals just how terrifying and awe-inspiring our world looks at such extreme altitudes and the speeds (well upward of 700 mph -- or was that, um, downward?) at which he was traveling.
While we may never comprehend the feelings rushing through the fellow as he stands so very far above the Earth on the precipice of history, Baumgartner tries to explain it to us mere mortals through a level of Zen speech suited only for those who ascend the heavens.
"Sometimes you have to be up really high to see how small you are. I'm going home now," says the extreme skydiver before leaping from 24 miles above the ground.
After showing an overhead view of Baumgartner dropping to Earth like Wile E. Coyote off a cliff, the video transitions to an angle below Baumgartner's helmet that shows basically what he saw as he fell (and fell and fell....). You may need to hold onto your chair during a couple of the segments of spinning as he accelerates. The video creator also spliced in the communications activity from mission control and Baumgartner's recorded breathing to enhance the moment.
