Today also marks the culmination of Red Bull Stratos, the mission to break the freefall record cooked up back in 2005 by Red Bull, Baumgartner and Joe Kittinger, who previously held the jumping world record and who guided Baumgartner in his fall yesterday.

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It was the culmination of the very effective Red Bull Stratos marketing program a mission to break the 50-year-old skydiving freefall record that was conceived by Red Bull, Baumgartner and former record holder Joe Kittinger some seven years ago.

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During the ascent of the giant balloon which will take Mr Baumgartner into the icy cold atmosphere and during the freefall, Col Kittinger's role will be to act as the point of contact between the mission control team and Felix Baumgartner.

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Kittinger, now an octogenarian, has been an integral part of Baumgartner's team, and has provided the Austrian with advice and encouragement whenever the younger man has doubted his ability to complete such a daring venture.

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Kittinger, now an octogenarian, was integral to Baumgartner's team, providing the Austrian with advice and encouragement throughout the project.

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