1960 – USAF Captain Joseph Kittinger parachutes from a balloon over New Mexico, United States, performing the highest free-fall parachute jump at 102,800 feet. After rising for 31 minutes he was over 19 miles above the earth. Once he was over the drop zone, he stepped out of the Project Excelsior III balloon gondola. Free falling 4 minutes and 36 seconds, during his fall a top speed of 614 miles per hour was reached. At an altitude of 17,500 feet Kittinger opened his main parachute and landed safely in the New Mexico desert. The whole descent took 13 minutes and 45 seconds. He set three records that held until 2012: High-altitude jump, free fall, and highest speed by a human without an aircraft.
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