Felix Baumgartner Unveils Mission to the Edge of Space

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - January 22, 2010) - Pilot Felix Baumgartner announced today his intention to expand the boundaries of aerospace exploration by attempting to become the first person ever to break the speed of sound with his own body. Baumgartner hopes to ascend in a capsule lifted by a helium balloon to the upper reaches of the stratosphere to at least 120,000 feet and, protected by a full-pressure "space suit," launch a freefall jump that could exceed Mach 1.0 -- more than 690 miles per hour -- before parachuting to Earth. If successful, the Red Bull Stratos mission hopes to establish four world records; the data captured by the mission's world-leading scientists could promise new standards in aerospace safety and enhanced possibilities for human flight.

In a dramatic landscape draped in black and lit in blue on the 40th floor of a New York high-rise, United States Air Force Colonel (Ret.) Joseph Kittinger, who in 1960 launched a stratospheric jump from 102,800 feet that opened the door for space exploration, and whose records Baumgartner aims to break, introduced the Austrian pilot to media from around the world during a briefing in New York City.

"People have been trying to break my records for fifty years, and many have died in the attempt," Kittinger said. "But I believe that with our unique assets, an extraordinary mission team, the dedication of Red Bull, and Felix Baumgartner's outstanding skills, Red Bull Stratos will succeed."

Kittinger, Baumgartner (best known for being the first person to fly across the English Channel with a carbon wing in 2003), Red Bull Stratos Medical Director Dr. Jonathan Clark and Technical Project Director Art Thompson provided an overview of the mission, which we will expect to launch in North America with a target launch date in 2010.

"This is truly a step into the unknown. No one can accurately predict how the human body will react in the transition to supersonic speeds," said Baumgartner. "But we've got to find out. Future aerospace programs need a way for pilots and astronauts to bail out at high altitude in case of emergency."

Clark, who served as a crew surgeon for six Space Shuttle missions, confirmed that data captured from the mission will be shared with the scientific community, and noted that he expects long-awaited medical protocols to be established as a result. He also commented, "I think one of the most profound benefits of Red Bull Stratos is going to be the inspiration for our youth... The kind of stuff Felix is doing is like the early astronauts and cosmonauts."

Red Bull Stratos has secured specialized technical communications from Riedel Communications that will facilitate the coverage of the Red Bull Stratos mission with a live TV broadcast and live webcast delivered by Microsoft Silverlight. In parallel the mission will also be streamed on mobile platforms through a mobile application powered by Ovi by Nokia. Global broadcaster, the BBC, will produce a special 90-minute documentary, which will air exclusively in the US on the National Geographic Channel and be distributed globally to national broadcasters by BBC Worldwide.

The Red Bull Stratos trailer can be viewed and shared at www.redbullstratos.com.

A live satellite feed of news footage from the press briefing today in New York will be available for downlink today at 5 p.m. EST via the coordinate details below:

US BROADCASTERS 17.00 EST/ 22.00 - 17.15 EST/ 22.15 GMT

Please access the feed by using the 'Treehouse loop #1407', at Ascent New York (also known as the Waterfront Switch).

For hi-res images, B-Roll, web videos, and additional press materials, throughout the project please visit: www.redbullstratos.com/newsroom.

Notes to editors:

Red Bull Stratos content can also be accessed as well as other Red Bull productions at www.redbullcontentpool.com.

BBC Documentary:

An exclusive, all access documentary about the Red Bull Stratos project is being produced by the BBC and National Geographic. The feature-length film, "SPACE DIVE," will premiere in the US on National Geographic Channel and in the UK on BBC-2 a few weeks after the jump in 2010. It will be aired across the rest of the world soon after. "SPACE DIVE," the 90 minute documentary about Red Bull Stratos is being globally licensed and distributed to broadcasters by BBC Worldwide.

Red Bull Stratos is proud to share this mission with the following partners:

Nokia

As the official global mobile sponsor, Nokia has developed the Red Bull Stratos application to monitor this groundbreaking project. Available exclusively through Ovi Store by Nokia, users can learn more about the mission's progress by reading articles and watching videos from the Red Bull Stratos team of experts. Nokia users can also follow the countdown, stream the final jump in real-time and watch Felix Baumgartner's pulse race by monitoring his biometrical data before, during and after the jump. Once complete, the app will deliver unique content about mission Red Bull Stratos direct to handset. For more information please visit http://www.ovi.com.

Microsoft

Microsoft is the global media technology partner for Red Bull Stratos. Microsoft's Silverlight and IIS Smooth Streaming technology bring an interactive live experience in High Definition to web viewers worldwide. To learn more, visit http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight.

Riedel Communications

Riedel Communications -- renowned for its pioneering advanced fiber, intercom and radio technology -- provides the entire communications solution for this outstanding project, integrating both wireless and wired digital intercom systems. Additionally, Riedel furnishes the fiber-based video and signal distribution as well as the wireless video links to the capsule's onboard cameras -- enabling stunning pictures to be delivered from the Red Bull Stratos capsule. Please visit http://www.riedel.net.