While some of us take the train, or car, or their motorcycle to get home, Felix Baumgartner skydived back. In an incredible feat of speed, he managed to break the Sound Barrier by gravity alone and not break his own body in the process. All the way from the edge of space itself. Sometimes taking a jet to get past Mach 1 is cool. But by Balloon? Yes you can, in a way.
Baumgartner hit an estimated 1340 kph (833 mph) after leaping off his helium balloon, floating at 39,000 meters (128,000 feet) above the Earth. Going down Baumgartner first entered a dangerous spin yet managed to stabilize himself and break the barrier. "I could feel myself break the speed of sound. I could feel the air building up and then I hit it.".
What is interesting about this whole trip to the edge of space and back is that it was funded by a private company, Red Bull. Last week Space X's Dragon Capsule docked with the ISS, marking the first such Commercial flight to space. Already Virgin Galactic is readying itself to launch private flights to the edge of space for paying customers (care to spare $200,000?). Space is not the private arena of a nation, but anyone with the money and need. A group of 'hackerspaces' (including one run by a friend of mine) received DARPA funding to make a small satellite. And for only $500,000 in funding. These are not professional labs - these are community spaces staffed by volunteers and enthusiasts paid by member's dues or from tool-lending. Not necessarily private funding - but an interesting demonstration nevertheless that Space is there for everyone to explore.
