Supersonic skydiver even faster than thought

Vienna, Feb 06 (AFP) Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian skydiver who jumped from the edge of space in October, fell at 1.25 times the speed of sound, even faster than thought, organisers said today. According to a final analysis by Baumgartner's team Red Bull Stratos, the 43-year-old reached 1,357.6 kilometres an hour, or Mach 1.25, in freefall. Previously his team had said that the experienced skydiver had plunged back to Earth in his specially made spacesuit at Mach 1.24. The Federation Aeronautique Internationale governing body is currently reviewing whether to confirm this as a world record, Red Bull Stratos said. Baumgartner's leap from a capsule at 38,969.4 metres above California on October 14 was watched live by millions on television and the Internet.(AFP) BOD 02061657 NNNN