Current status: alive
Felix Baumgartner is alive as of 2025. He is a retired Austrian skydiver, BASE jumper, and former military parachutist best known for the Red Bull Stratos stratospheric jump on 14 October 2012. That project saw him ascend to approximately 39 km (128,000 ft) above New Mexico, USA, and freefall an estimated 128,100 feet (about 39 km) to set records for highest manned balloon flight and fastest freefall velocity without vehicle assistance. He has not died; the confusion sometimes arises from misinformation or mistaken identity with other figures in extreme sports.
Project Stratos: verified highlights
Objectives and scope
Red Bull Stratos was a multi-year preparation and execution program managed by Red Bull GmbH in collaboration with aerospace medicine experts, a medical team, and Stratospheric Explorer GmbH. The primary goals were scientific research on high-altitude physiology, suit development, and life-support systems, plus a record-setting freefall from the edge of space under a pressure suit.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Launch date | 14 October 2012 | Red Bull Stratos official mission reports |
| Altitude (ascent) | 38,969 m (127,852 ft) | Red Bull Stratos telemetry and tracking data |
| Freefall duration | 4 minutes 19 seconds | Project telemetry and onboard instrumentation |
| Top speed | ~1,357 km/h (Mach 1.25) | Post-mission analysis and ground tracking |
| Primary landing site | Roswell, New Mexico, USA | Mission logs and recovery coordination |
Background and career context
Born 20 April 1969 in Leibnitz, Austria, Baumgartner began parachuting in the late 1980s and joined the Austrian Armed Forces as a military parachutist. He built a professional BASE jumping and wingsuiting career through the 1990s and 2000s, completing numerous high-profile jumps from cliffs, buildings, and bridges. These experiences directly informed the suit design and procedural protocols used in Stratos.
Key lessons and legacy
The Stratos jump generated peer-reviewed insights on transonic stability, pressure-suit performance at extreme altitude, and human physiological limits under supersonic freefall. Baumgartner’s profiles in risk management, contingency planning, and post-mission health monitoring remain reference points for high-altitude projects. He retired from competitive jumping after Stratos and has engaged in advisory and motivational speaking roles, but remains active in the broader aerospace and adventure communities.
Comparison with similar high-profile jumps
Understanding Baumgartner’s place among extreme-altitude leaps clarifies common confusions. The following table compares core metrics of his jump with two other landmark stratospheric or high-altitude freefalls.
| Project / Person | Date | Max altitude | Freefall record type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felix Baumgartner (Red Bull Stratos) | 14 October 2012 | 38,969 m (127,852 ft) | Highest manned balloon launch; fastest freefall (Mach 1.25) | Successful landing; no major injuries |
| Joseph Kittinger (Excelsior III, Project Excelsior) | 2 August 1960 | 31,333 m (102,800 ft) | Longest manually stable freefall at the time; pioneering suit and life-support data | Successful landing; minor injuries |
| Alan Eustace (Stratolab, Google Loon initiative) | 24 October 2014 | 41,419 m (135,890 ft) | Highest freefever launch (altitude); broader scientific payload suite | Successful landing; no major injuries |
Verification and source transparency
This overview relies on primary sources published by Red Bull Stratos, official mission logs, telemetry summaries released by Stratospheric Explorer GmbH, and cross-references with reputable news and aviation records. Where figures vary slightly across outlets, the values reported here reflect the most consistently documented measurements available in public records as of 2025.
Takeaway
Felix Baumgartner did not die. He remains a prominent figure in extreme sports and aerospace research, with his most notable achievement being the 2012 Red Bull Stratos stratospheric jump that advanced high-altitude science and set multiple recognized records. Understanding the facts surrounding his status and accomplishments helps clarify ongoing questions and supports accurate public discussion of high-altitude exploration.