Joseph Kittinger – 31 KM in the air and travelling close to 1,000kph

As part of Project Excelsior at Wright-Patterson Airforce Base, Captain Joseph Kittinger conducted a series of three historic high-altitude parachute jumps between 1959 and 1960 to research emergency bailouts. Despite a near-fatal equipment failure during his first jump and a pressurised glove malfunction during his final ascent, Kittinger successfully leaped from a record height of 102,800 feet on August 16, 1960. Descending in a specialised “rocking-chair” position due to his heavy gear and pressure suit, he reached a maximum speed of 614 mph and set long-standing records for the highest balloon ascent and longest drogue-fall. His bravery earned him the Harmon Trophy and paved the way for aerospace safety, proving that humans could survive the extreme conditions of the upper atmosphere.