Joseph Kittinger said that when plummeting to Earth at more than 600mph he could only hear himself 'breathing in the helmet.'
Kittinger performed his record jump in August 1960 in the New Mexico desert. Exceeding 600mph when free falling 19 miles above the surface, his parachute was deployed at 18,000ft .Speaking in 2011 to Florida Trend magazine, he said:"There's no way you can visualize the speed. There's nothing you can see to see how fast you're going. You have no depth perception.
"If you're in a car driving down the road and you close your eyes, you have no idea what your speed is. It's the same thing if you're free falling from space. There are no signposts. You know you are going very fast, but you don't feel it. You don't have a 614mph wind blowing on you.Following the jump, Kittinger served three tours of duty during the Vietnam War.
His record stood until 2012, when Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian daredevil, jumped from 24 miles above the New Mexico desert, reaching the supersonic speed of 844mph. Kittinger served as an adviser on the record jump. Retiring from the air force in 1978, he settled in the Orlando, Florida area, where he became a local icon. He is survived by his wife, Sherri.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Locals left distraught after nativity scene at historic Ipswich church smashed, with 'Joseph' beheadedThe reverend of an Ipswich church was left 'distraught' after mannequins in a nativity scene were ripped up - with a model of Joseph beheaded - four days after it was set up.
Read more »
'Barbarians' destroy navitiy scene and behead Joseph in Christmas displayA town is outraged after a church’s nativity scene was ripped apart and a figurine of Joseph destroyed.
Read more »
Vance Joseph Calls Out Patriots: ‘It's Like a Defensive Guy Is Calling Offense'Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph made some interesting comments on the New England Patriots’ conservative offensive approach ahead of their Week 14 matchup.
Read more »
New Supply Could Help Bring Lithium Prices Back Down To Earth | OilPrice.comLithium prices have turned into one of the red flags in the energy transition as they have climbed inexorably for more than a year, with many expecting the supply of the battery metal to experience a further squeeze in the future.
Read more »
Putin threatens to 'wipe off the earth' any country that uses nukes on RussiaBREAKING: Vladimir Putin has warned that any country that would attack Russia with nuclear weapons would be wiped from the face of the earth.
Read more »