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After setting the world record for the highest -altitude jump this Friday, Alan Eustace is now one of the higher-ups at Google for sure. He breaks the sound barrier before opening his parachute in an almost 25.7-mile fall.
Alan Eustace, 57, senior vice president of knowledge at Google rose above Roswell, New Mexico for about two hours using a balloon filled with 35,000 cubic feet of helium, The New York Times reported.
He hung below the balloon wearing a spacesuit along with the life-support system and the GoPro cameras. After reaching 135,908 feet, Eustace cut the cord and began a 15-min fall that reportedly hit peak speeds of more than 800 miles/hour.
During the dive, observers reported hearing a small sonic roar, but Eustace said he didn’t hear any such thing, The New York Times reported.
Eustace told the NYT, “It was a wild, wild ride. I hugged on to the equipment module and tucked my legs and I held my heading.”
The previous record was set by Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner in October 2012 by jumping off 128,100 feet using a sophisticated capsule and was backed by millions of dollars in sponsorship money. However, Eustace avoided taking support from Google because he didn’t want the jump to become a marketing event.
Germaine Hicks
Germaine is an avid sports fan and as such, he decided on his current career path with the idea in mind that he would never, ever miss a Yankee game. Until now, he managed to make good on that promise. As you’ve probably guessed, he’s our go-to sports guy.
