Red Bull space jump equipment makes world premiere in Houston

Felix Baumgartner's pressurized suit is on display at Space Center Houston. Felix Baumgartner's pressurized suit is on display at Space Center Houston. Photo: J. Patric Schneider, For The Chronicle Photo: J. Patric Schneider, For The Chronicle Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close Red Bull space jump equipment makes world premiere in Houston 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

The world was watching last October as daredevil Felix Baumgartner made his record-breaking supersonic freefall from the edge of space over New Mexico, reaching a top speed of 843.6 mph, or Mach 1.25.

Now, Space Center Houston is hosting the world premiere of the Red Bull Stratus pressurized capsule and spacesuit that "Fearless Freddie" wore to become the first human to break the sound barrier with only his body.

The display at the space museum, 1601 NASA Parkway, also highlights some of the scientific data collected from the Oct. 14, 2012, jump.

Wearing the pressurized suit, Baumgartner hopped from the capsule hoisted by a giant helium balloon 24 miles over New Mexico.

Fifty seconds into the jump, he reached the peak of Mach 1.25 speed at 91,300 feet. The entire freefall lasted 4 minutes, 20 seconds.

At one point during the jump, Baumgartner appeared to spin rapidly, but he quickly re-gained control and moments later opened his parachute to the cheers of his ground crew viewers from around the world.

He used the parachute to cover the final 5,000 feet, landing on his feet in the desert outside Roswell. The entire trip back to earth lasted 9:09 minutes.

The jump took place exactly 65 years after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket-powered airplane.

Baumgartner and his team spent five years training and preparing for the mission, designed to increase scientific understanding of how the body copes with the extreme conditions near space.

For more information about the exhibit, call Space Center Houston at 281-244-2100.