"Much has been said about Alan Eustace's courage, humility and generosity of spirit (all of it true) on the ground, in the sky and even in space. I don't know how to preface this profile of one of our sport's greatest. So I'll leave it at that - he is one of our sport's greatest."
James Hayhurst, parachutist
On October 14, 2012, Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner became the world record holder for the highest jump ever performed by a human being. Jumping from a capsule at an impressive altitude of 38,969.4 meters (127,852 ft), he free-falled for a distance of 36,402 meters (119,431 ft) before opening his parachute. Baumgartner reached a top speed of 1,357.64 km/h (843.6 mph), exceeding the speed of sound at Mach 1.25, becoming the first man on the planet to freefall supersonically without mechanical assistance.
As impressive as Baumgartner's record, which seemed insurmountable for many years, was the speed at which his world record for the highest jump was broken. Just two years later, on October 24, 2014, Robert Alan Eustace, a 57-year-old Google executive, broke Felix Baumgartner's record by falling from the stratosphere¹ from an even higher altitude of 41,422 meters ( 135,898 ft), having covered a distance of 37,623 meters (123,235 ft) before opening his parachute .
Although Eustace's fall altitude was higher, the maximum speed achieved was lower than that achieved by Baumgartner, but arguably also very impressive, as Alan Eustace reached a top speed of 1,322 km/h (821 mph), having also broken the sound barrier, with a Mach speed of 1.23, becoming the second supersonic man on the planet, in free fall, without mechanical assistance.
As we have seen, even falling from a higher altitude, Eustace did not reach the same speed as Baumgartner, who holds the world record for free fall speed. Differences in falling posture, spacesuit design and aerodynamics explain this apparent contradiction:
Differences in body position during the fall:
Baumgartner: During the fall, he initially went into an uncontrolled spin, but his aerodynamic posture, with his body straighter and arms glued together over time, favored the acceleration.
Eustace : Wore a bulky spacesuit with an attached life support system, which increased drag and limited movement and acceleration.
Difference in costume and aerodynamics:
Eustace: The spacesuit was more rigid and had a less aerodynamic design. This may have increased air friction and reduced the maximum speed achieved.
Baumgartner: The spacesuit was developed by Red Bull Stratos, it was designed to reduce drag and allow for a faster fall.
For those who are not familiar with the paths taken by Eustace and his feat, it seems confusing to understand this extraordinary feat.
Looking only from the perspective of his training and professional performance, it would really be difficult to see Eustace in an immensely challenging and risky mission that he set out to undertake.
Eustace graduated from the University of Central Florida, USA. In addition to his Bachelor's degree, he also holds Master's and PhD degrees in Computer Science.
At the time of the supersonic feat, Eustace was Google's Senior Vice President of Knowledge, a man linked to the development and organization of complex systems, who led projects in artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced research in distributed systems architecture.
Considering your professional routine and being on leave from the corporate environment, imagine Eustace, then Vice President of Knowledge at Google, being approached, on the day of the jump, by an unsuspecting executive from another company and receiving the following response:
- Alan Eustace is not on Google, he is far away today, but he will soon be back, as he will make a supersonic stratospheric free descent and then open his parachute, returning to planet Earth.
This unusual, comical and fantastical situation, although unreal, could, in some way, illustrate the lack of knowledge that Eustace was, and continues to be, much more than a Computer Scientist.
The discretion with which Eustace embraced the Scientific Project carried out within the Stratospheric Explorer (StatEx) Program possibly made it difficult for people in general to understand how he managed to achieve this fantastic scientific feat.
Eustace's feat had, it should be emphasized, a substantial difference from Baumgartner's feat, as he ascended to the stratosphere dressed in his space suit, strapped to his back by an expandable balloon containing helium gas, without being protected by a capsule , simply because not including a capsule in the project was one of the great challenges that they wanted to overcome.
FREE FALL FROM SPACE:
SOURCE: CNN. ILLUSTRATION OF FREE FALL HEIGHTS AND TEMPERATURES BY EUSTACE AND BAUMGARTNER
Eustace jumped from a height that planes cannot reach: the air in the stratosphere is too thin to keep them aloft. Since the project did not include the use of an oxygenated and pressurized capsule like the one Baumgartner used, it was necessary to develop an innovative spacesuit.
ILC Dover, which developed the suit worn by Eustace, also had to ensure that the suit could withstand both the intense heat of the New Mexico desert, where Eustace took off, and the extreme cold that occurs closer to the upper edge of the stratosphere, where temperatures can drop to -123.8° Fahrenheit (-51° Celsius).
"It's the first suit that was both cooled and heated," Eustace said. "Most suits are cooled for things like spacewalks and moonwalks. But this suit had to be cooled on the ground and heated in the air."
Returning to the issue of how difficult it is to understand how it was possible for a Google executive to break the world record for the highest jump from the stratosphere, it is now time to clarify that the extraordinary feat achieved was not the result of any random adventure. On the contrary, Eustace and his team were not beginners. Eustace, in addition to being a Computer Scientist at the time of the stratospheric jump, was 57 years old and had been a pilot for 25 years, with qualifications in several aircraft and , at the time, was also an experienced skydiver . On the other hand, his team was made up of highly specialized companies and professionals, as we will see below.
The Alan Eustace Science and Space Project was undertaken within the Stratospheric Explorer (StatEx ) Program, the goal of which was to develop an autonomous spacesuit and recovery system that would enable manned exploration of the stratosphere above 30,480 meters (100,000 ft).
Paragon Space Development Corporation , which technically provided the design and production of the spacesuit life support system, provided the primary design of the complete launch, tracking, recovery, landing and support system. Specific developments included unique balloon launch systems, drogue and parachute recovery system integration and testing, ground and airborne testing and training, communications systems, overall mission operations coordination and training, mission control systems design, and finally, execution of the entire crew operation.
Also participating in this audacious project:
ILC Dover : Responsible for the design, development and production of the advanced space diving pressure suit that served as Alan's only barrier to the harsh environment throughout all phases of the mission. Together with the Paragon-designed and built life support system, the pressure suit provided the contained environment that allowed him to survive the upper atmosphere and perform actions necessary for a safe descent.
Cobham Mission Systems : Provided Paragon with the spacesuit pressurization and oxygen breathing gas components that were integrated into the suit's life support system.
United Parachute Technologies : was responsible for the design and manufacture of the recovery systems (drogue, parachute) as well as the flight training of Alan and the safety parachutists.
ADE Aerospace LLC : Provided the medical team and training required for StratEx. Given the unique risks involved in flying at these altitudes and the remote location of the flight activities, ADE was tasked with providing a medical response team that could handle a medical emergency at any stage of the flight. Unique risks to consider include more than just landing trauma in the event of a parachute failure – high rotation rates in freefall, decompression or boil-off at high altitudes, toxicological and burn exposures in the event of autonomous or life support failure were all high-priority risks that required assessment and management plans in the field.
Also providing significant contributions to the project were TIRF Balloon Facilities, Aerowestern Helicopters, Win Aviation, Nauticos, LLC (Dr. David Jourdan), LLC Dr. Jonathan Clark, MD.; Julian Nott; Sreenivasan Shankarnarayan; Don Day; and World View Enterprises, Inc. Jerry Kolber, Atomic Entertainment; James Hayhurst, U.S. Parachute Association; Window Light Production, LLC; Roswell Fire Department; Ahern Fire Department; ModSpace; Matheson, Roswell International Air Center; Vigil America Inc., LLC; Ft. Worth MIDO; Lubbock FSDO; Albuquerque ARTCC; Ft. Worth ARTCC; CSA Service Center; and the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation.
As we have seen, Alan Eustace's team was made up of highly specialized companies and professionals, which kept him, despite the risks, confident and motivated to continue with all the stages of this grand project.
THREE WORLD RECORDS RECOGNIZED BY THE FAI – INTERNATIONAL AERONAUTICAL FEDERATION
Eustace's first world record, recognized by the FAI, occurred as soon as Mission Control pressed the button that untethered Eustace from the helium balloon, allowing him to begin freefall. First record: Exit Altitude 41,422m .
After that serene ascent, suddenly the earth was rushing toward him. Eustace was accelerating rapidly. He broke the speed of sound after just 35 seconds. After 51 seconds, he reached his top speed, 1,320 km per hour . Second record: Maximum Vertical Speed with drogue² .
The drogue was absolutely essential to Eustace's success. As Joseph Kittinger and his team discovered during the high-altitude parachute jumps of Project Excelsior, a drogue parachute for stability could – and still does – save the lives of countless skydivers by preventing them from entering a high-speed spin.
Eustace free-falled to Earth for 37,623 metres before activating his parachute system. Four minutes and 27 seconds after being released from the balloon, he landed safely, just over 100 km from where he had launched. Third record: Distance Drop with a Drogue .
In fact, the October 24 jump was scheduled as the third and final jump. On October 4, Eustace climbed to 17.3 km and on October 15, he floated higher than Kittinger had in 1960, to 32.2 km, but decided not to publicize the achievement in preparation for the third jump. Finally, Eustace and his team were ready for the big day.
This third jump surpassed Felix Baumgartner's 2012 high-altitude skydive by 2,452m.
The project with Felix Baumgartner (Red Bull Stratos) involved a capsule, a significantly larger balloon and a substantial budget. In comparison, Alan Eustace's self-funded project with his team of experts kept simplicity as a core value, alerting the media only after the jump had been successful.
The press was kept out of Alan Eustace's record-breaking jump because the event was intentionally kept secret until its conclusion. Unlike Felix Baumgartner's 2012 jump, which received major media coverage sponsored by Red Bull, Eustace and his team opted for a more low-key approach.
In addition to being very courageous and determined, Eustace was highly selfless, because, although he was confident in the technical capacity of his team, he knew that there were risks in executing the project, but he remained firm until the decisive moments of rise and fall.
Eustace was "lifted" by a helium balloon to a height of 41,422 metres (135,898 ft) and was detached from the same balloon, falling in free fall like a human spacecraft, having travelled a distance of 37,623 metres (123,235 ft), before opening his parachute, setting a new world record.
Eustace's incredible and spectacular performance is recorded in the film 14 minutes from Earth , a 2016 documentary lasting 1 hour and 24 minutes, directed by Jerry Kolber, Adam "Tex" Davis, Trey Nelson and Erich Sturm.
Rather than focusing on the celebrity aspect of other high-profile space feats, " 14 Minutes from Earth " delves into the motivations, fears and relentless optimism of everyone involved, from the engineers and support crew to the family members who watched anxiously as their loved one risked everything for the sake of pushing boundaries and advancing science.
It took three years of preparation from the moment Alan Eustace made his first scribbles on a napkin, outlining his initial ideas about the intended project, to the moment of the successful ascent, pulled by a balloon filled with helium gas, to the free fall from the stratosphere, opening of the parachute and safe arrival on Earth's soil.
Much more than a risky adventure, the StatEx project generated valuable scientific advances, which will undoubtedly be very useful for new space missions, let's look at some of them:
I. Project StatEx demonstrated that a human can survive and operate in the upper atmosphere without the need for a pressurized capsule , which could reduce costs and facilitate commercial space operations. The mission demonstrated that advanced spacesuits can partially replace pressurized capsules, paving the way for future more efficient and affordable space missions.
II. The jump made it possible to study how a body protected only by a special space suit interacts with re-entry into the atmosphere.
III. The mission radically tested the human body's reaction to extreme temperatures, with the support of only vital equipment, as the temperature in the stratosphere fluctuates greatly, reaching the extreme negative of -51°C , with almost no oxygen and intense solar radiation.
IV. Information was collected on fall stability , suit strength and how to minimize the risks of disorientation and uncontrolled rotation .
V. The suit's technology could be adapted for high-altitude rescue systems, benefiting pilots and astronauts in emergencies.
The project had no sponsorship from major brands or direct commercial interests, as the focus was on developing and testing new aerospace technologies, not creating a media spectacle. The event was completely focused on the team, with maximum attention, without outside interference, prioritizing science and safety, since the mission involved extreme dangers. The result was an impressive record and a significant achievement for aerospace technology.
On 15 April 2015, Laureus named Alan Eustace the 2015 Sports Personality of the Year (Action Sports category). The Laureus World Sports Awards annually honour, recognise and celebrate the world’s greatest athletes, a unique group of sporting legends, each of whom has reached the highest level of achievement and created many of sport’s most iconic moments.
Enthusiastic about the experience and scientific achievements of the successful StatEx project, of which he was an exemplary protagonist, Eustace initially had big plans to break more records using the spacesuit, which could be used for high-altitude ballooning, gliding or sailplane/plandrive. However, Eustace, a father of three, talked to his wife, Kathy Ann Kwan, about new challenges:
“My wife has plans for me not to do any of these things anymore,” Eustace said shortly after giving a TED talk about his experience.
“I am no longer allowed to do anything that is considered “extremely dangerous.”
We were just negotiating what “extremely dangerous” would mean.
From the perspective of the determined and courageous Eustace, “extremely dangerous” changed to a new level, which would mean more risks, but apparently, following the advice of his wife, he finally donated his spacesuit to the Smithsonian US National Air and Space Museum and its annex Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, USA, where it is kept in a controlled atmosphere.
By Luiz Cincurá
Notes:
¹ The stratosphere is the second largest layer of the Earth's atmosphere, located between the troposphere and the mesosphere. It extends approximately 10 km (at the poles) to 15 km (in the tropics) at its lower limit, with an upper limit of approximately 50 km in altitude, from the surface, and is home to the ozone layer. The meaning of the word stratosphere comes from the Latin stratum , which means layer. The stratosphere concentrates 19% of the gases in the atmosphere, is the second layer closest to the Earth, has little water vapor in its composition and almost no clouds. The stratosphere is rich in ozone gas and poor in oxygen gas.
² A drogue parachute is a small parachute that slows down a fast-moving object, such as an aircraft, spacecraft, or skydiver. The drogue parachute helped Alan Eustace maintain stability and control during his high-altitude skydive, and also prevented him from entering a high-speed spin.
Sources:
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WATCH NOW. Watch 14 Minutes From Earth . Available on:
<https://www.watchnow.com/movie/14-minutes-from-earth/68026?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Search&t_source=64&utm_campaign=2561&gad_source=2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImoDn97D5iwMVxTrUAR3Y1CpSEAAYASAAEgJ7sPD_BwE> Accessed on: March 7, 2025.
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