[sam_paine]

I don't know. I've got to give Kittinger the "brassballs" award for jumping out of an unpressurized gondola at 100,000ft 50+ YEARS ago!

Ok, not supersonic and 120,000 ft for Baumgartner, but Kittinger survived a flat spin at 22 g's in an early test flight. Gak!

Supersonic in 21st century spacesuit pales next to a guy who took a step out of that basket with 50's technology!

(Oh, and Kittinger ended up surviving the Hanoi Hilton....)

[Katya]

I think Kittinger is advising Baumgartner on this jump!

[wita]

Every bio about Kittinger that I have read, indicates he is the first one to break the sound barrier without an airplane around him, on the jump from over 100,000 feet.