A Google executive made history Friday with a free-fall dive from near space in a jump supported by Tucson-based Paragon Space Development Corp.
Wearing a custom-made pressurized suit, Alan Eustace jumped from from a high-altitude balloon at a record altitude of about 135,908 feet and after a free fall of 4Ζ minutes landed safely nearly 70 miles from his launch point.
Paragon said Eustace, a senior vice president at Google, broke several records, including the national record for highest exit altitude; world and national records for free fall under a drogue chute; the U.S. record for vertical speed. Additionally, he became the second person to break the sound barrier outside an aircraft, reaching 822 mph.
Eustace was lifted to his peak altitude by a helium-filled scientific balloon while wearing a custom-made pressurized spacesuit.
The balloon, spacesuit and support systems were developed by Paragon and a technical team including ILC Dover, which designed and made the spacesuit; United Parachute Technologies; ADE Technologies Consulting LLC and World View Enterprises Inc.
World View, whose management includes Paragon co-founder and former CEO Taber MacCallum, is planning to sell trips to near-space in a balloon-lifted capsule for $75,000 a trip.
