Baumgartner Höhe.

(A story latecomer re stratosphere jump.)

Sure, one can be pretty pissed off from the recent energy drink PR stunt (literally), all that money, all that adrenaline addiction, all that spectacle.

Nevertheless, I still see so much beauty in what that dare-devil and its supporters have done.

The idea to stand at the brink of space alone makes me excited and nervous.

And as I can appreciate the madness of bravery to go up there, alone and with yourself only, I never could imagine what would make me do such a thing even in a group, let alone being on my own.

Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot” comes to my mind again, expressing so well what I think must go through your head looking back to this planet, even from a much closer distance, too.

It requires one darn fearless soul coping with such philosophical facts in such remote area.

And then, without further ado, he takes this little step forward and simply lets go, falling down. Falling, falling and falling. How sure can you be that even gravity still works looking down there? What if you just fly up instead down? (Btw. Is this not actually the advertised promise of that energy drink?)

Look at how quickly he disappears from the capsule! Here is to the crazy ones, again…

Sorry for all of you who are bothered by this whole synthetic event, but I simply cannot resist looking at the footage of the jump. (To be honest, I could not watch the live jump, because I was afraid, indeed, something ugly could happen.)

I really miss more of the view down during the fall, though. This is where I think Kittinger’s madness was recorded (or replayed?) in a much more amazing way. Maybe there is more footage yet to come.