Winds Force Felix Baumgartner To Call Off Record-Breaking Skydive Attempt

Winds Halt 'Fearless' Felix Baumgartner's Record-Breaking Skydive
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The mission, which was expected to see Baumgartner break the sound barrier on the way down, was set to go ahead on Tuesday above New Mexico.

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Felix pictured inside the capsule shortly before launch-time

The 40-year-old was going to ascend to the edge of space in a capsule towed by a massive, 330ft helium balloon from where we was to leap out and hopefully leap into the record books with the highest and fastest freefall descent ever.

Before the attempt, Baumgartner had expressed his confidence of a successful jump.

Baumgartner explained that he's feeling supremely confident the jump will be successful.

He said: “The reason I believe we’re going to be successful is because we’ve put together an incredible team of experts and we have gone about this in a very carefully planned, scientific way. I didn’t want to go from zero to hero - instead we’ve done lots of tests to progress gradually, step-by-step, toward the final goal. Each test has taught us something.”

“Every test - from wearing the suit in a wind tunnel, to simulations in an altitude chamber, to jumping from airplanes, and then jumping from a balloon in the stratosphere - has been more difficult, and the success of each one has raised our motivation even higher.”

It's thought another attempt might be made on Thursday although the window of opportunity for Baumgartner is running out for this year.