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Google Executive Breaks Records in Space Jump

How fast do you think you could fall if you jumped from 25 miles above the earth? How about 822 miles per hour?

As part of an experiment, Google's vice president Alan Eustace just jumped from 25 miles above the earth's surface.

A special balloon lifted him up nearly 136,000 feet into the stratosphere above New Mexico. The stratosphere is the second major layer of the earth's atmosphere and reaches from about 35,000 feet to about 160,000 feet.

Then Eustace, who was wearing a self-contained spacesuit, cut himself loose.

He broke the sound barrier, and set several world records as he fell for more than four minutes breaking speed records. Then he glided for another 10 minutes before finally landing safely.

stephanie.jarvis@ideastream.org | 216-916-6340