First stratospheric skydive

On 16 November 1959, as part of Project Excelsior, US pilot Joe Kittinger performed the first ever stratospheric skydive. The Project’s aim was to test the performance of the Beaupre multi-stage parachute, which was designed for pilots ejecting at high altitude. Kittinger was sent aloft using a purpose-built helium balloon with a capacity of nearly 85,000 cubic metres and wearing a modified partial pressure suit. The suit plus the additional clothing he wore to protect himself from the cold almost doubled his weight. His first of three jumps was from the open gondola attached to the balloon at an altitude of 23,287 m. Kittinger lost consciousness during his dive when his stabiliser chute caught around his neck and caused him to spin at 120 rpm. He was saved when his main parachute opened automatically at 3,048 m.

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