Volkmar K. Wentzel, United States Air Force
Joseph Kittinger set the free fall record on Aug. 16, 1960 over New Mexico.
EL PASO, Texas -- His gaze may be skyward, but daredevil Felix Baumgartner's feet will remain firmly planted on the ground for now.
Windy weather has delayed his attempt to make a record-breaking jump 23 miles above Roswell, N.M. His next attempt will be Sunday.
Baumgartner, a professional skydiver and Austrian helicopter pilot, wants to be the first human to break the sound barrier in a free fall jump from earth's stratosphere, at an altitude of 120,000 feet. If successful it would also be the fastest and highest skydive on record.
Baumgartner will rise to his jump height in a capsule lifted by a giant helium balloon. In order to make it off the ground safely wind gusts can't be higher than 2 miles per hour. Everything was in place for Baumgartner to make the jump Tuesday, but seconds after the balloon inflated it bend over sideways in a gust of wind.
The current record holder for highest skydive belongs to Joe Kittinger who in 1960 jumped from 102,800 feet. Kittinger has been coaching Baumgartner and is currently on the ground in Roswell. His is the only voice Baumgartner will hear from mission control during his three hour journey into near space.