Skydiver survives 24 mile jump

In an amazing project, Austrian Felix Baumgartner has broken a number of records, jumping from a balloon at 128,097 feet over New Mexico, some 24 miles up in a suit as advanced as any spaceman but lacking a rocket and protective capsule.

NASA are very interested in the fine details of the jump, which could form the basis for rescues should any problems occur with astronauts returning from trips into space.

The previous record of 102,800 feet was set by Joe Kittinger in 1960, who has been assisting this attempt, now the ripe old age of 84.

During the dive he became the worlds first supersonic skydiver, reaching speeds of 834 miles an hour but failed to break Kittinger's freefall record of four minutes 36 seconds by 17 seconds.

The attempt also broke the record for the height of a manned balloon flight. 

The huge worry was the possibility of Felix not being able to acheive a stable position during the jump, which could result in him passing out in temperatures he was experiencing of -70C.