page_title: Space diving
hierarchical_section_title: Space diving
caption_attribution_description: English: Joseph Kittinger's record-breaking skydive from 102,800 feet (31,300 m). Photograph by Volkmar Wentzel. Deutsch: Joseph Kittinger springt aus 31.300 m aus seinem Ballon. Er stellt dabei einen neuen Weltrekord auf. Español: Joseph Kittinger salta desde 31.300 m, el record mundial de salto en paracaidas Français&#160;: Saut en parachute de Joseph Kittinger d'une hauteur de 31 300 m, constituant l'actuel record du monde. Italiano: Lancio con il paracadute di Joseph Kittinger da un'altezza di 31 300 metri, l'attuale record del mondo.
context_page_description: Similar to skydiving, space diving is the act of jumping from an aircraft or spacecraft in near space and falling to Earth. The Kármán line is the internationally accepted definition as to where space begins, 100 km above sea level. This definition is accepted by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, which is an international standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. The United States Air Force uses 50 mi to award astronaut wings.
  No successful space dives have been completed to date. In 1959 Joseph Kittinger accomplished a jump from 74,700 feet; he then set a long-standing record in 1960 when he jumped from 102,800 feet. In 1962 Yevgeni Andreyev jumped from 83,523 feet and set a new longest-distance free fall record that was surpassed by Felix Baumgartner who made three jumps in 2012 from 71,581 feet, 96,640 feet, and 128,000 feet, respectively. Alan Eustace set the current world record for highest and longest-distance free fall jump in 2014 when he jumped from 135,908 feet.
context_section_description: Similar to skydiving,  space diving is the act of jumping from an aircraft or spacecraft in near space and falling to Earth. The Kármán line is the internationally accepted definition as to where space begins, 100 km (62 mi) above sea level. This definition is accepted by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which is an international standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. The United States Air Force uses 50 mi (80 km) to award astronaut wings.
  No successful space dives (above 100 km) have been completed to date. In 1959 Joseph Kittinger accomplished a jump from 74,700 feet (22.8 km); he then set a long-standing record in 1960 when he jumped from 102,800 feet (31.3 km). In 1962 Yevgeni Andreyev jumped from 83,523 feet (25.458 km) and set a new longest-distance free fall record that was surpassed by Felix Baumgartner who made three jumps in 2012 from 71,581 feet (21.818 km), 96,640 feet (29.46 km), and 128,000 feet (39 km), respectively. Alan Eustace set the current world record for highest and longest-distance free fall jump in 2014 when he jumped from 135,908 feet (41.425 km). However, Joseph Kittinger still holds the record for longest-duration free fall, at 4 minutes and 36 seconds, which he accomplished during his 1960 jump from 102,800 feet (31.3 km).
  Higher jumps from the mesosphere or thermosphere have yet to be successfully performed, though Orbital Outfitters, now defunct,  was working to create a suit that would have  enabled safe space diving. Space diving from beyond the stratosphere was first imagined in 1934, appearing in E. E. "Doc" Smith's science fiction novel Triplanetary.
caption: Kittinger leaps from his helium balloon at 102,800 ft (31,300 m).
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