On August 16, 1960 Joseph W. Kittinger Jr. of the US Air Force threw himself from a balloon gondola floating to 102,800 ft, or 19.46 miles above sea level, for government experiment "Excelsior III". Four minutes and 36 seconds after jumping and reaching speeds of 614 mph his main chute automatically opened at 17,500ft of altitude. Ten minutes after that he touched down.
"Joseph Kittinger." Centennialoflfight.Gov. 2006. US Centennial of Flight Commision. 27 Mar. 2008 http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Explorers_Record_Setters_and_Daredevils/Kittinger/EX31.htm
"The 20-Mile Fall - TIME." TIME. 29 Aug. 1960. Time Magazine. 27 Mar. 2008 http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,939169,00.html.
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