News Zenith’s Austrian ambassador Felix Baumgartner earned his place in the book of records by becoming the first man to break the speed of sound in his free fall. A Zenith Stratos accompanied him!
On 14 October this year, in Roswell (New Mexico), Felix Baumgartner accomplished an incredible feat. After ascending to an altitude of 128,000 feet in a helium balloon, he made an historic jump from the frontier of space, exactly 65 years after the exploit of Chuck Yeager, who at the time became the first man to break the sound barrier aboard an experimental self-propelled aircraft. The 43 year old professional parachutist also broke two other world records (highest free-fall jump and highest manned balloon flight), leaving that of the longest free fall to his mentor, Colonel Joe Kittinger. Wearing on his wrist the all-new El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th chronograph, Felix Baumgartner attained an estimated speed of 1,342 km/h (which speed remains to be officially certified however), before landing by parachute safe and sound in the New Mexico desert. This historic leap lasted 9 minutes and 3 seconds. Millions of people around the world watched his ascent and his jump, which were broadcast live on TV channels and on the Internet. At one point in his free fall Baumgartner gave the impression of spiralling out of control, but quickly regained his equilibrium before opening his parachute, to applause from members of his ground team and sighs of relief among viewers.
«The day was an emotional rollercoaster, as was the project in its entirety», said a relieved Felix Baumgartner. «Everything began perfectly with a magnificent launch, but then there was a problem with the power supply to my visor. I then made a perfect exit from the balloon before starting to rotate gently. I thought I was just going to go round once or twice, but I suddenly started accelerating. It was really intense for a few moments. I thought for a few seconds I was going to lose consciousness. I didn’t experience a sonic boom because I was too busy trying to stabilise my trajectory. We now have to wait for confirmation that we really did break the sound barrier. It really was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be».
Jean-Frédéric Dufour, CEO of Zenith, said of this feat: «The Zenith manufactory is proud to have taken part in this mission as official timekeeper, and to present the El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th Tribute model to Felix Baumgartner. Thanks to Felix, this model has become the first watch to break the sound barrier at the frontiers of space».
The Stratos is equipped with the world’s most accurate automatic chronograph movement, the legendary El Primero, and also comes with flyback and Striking 10th functions, which make it an ideal partner for such an exploit. Felix Baumgartner and his team trained and prepared for five years for this mission which will advance scientific understanding of the human body’s reactions to extreme conditions encountered at the frontier of space.
This is not the first time that Zenith watches have accompanied pioneers in their incredible projects and momentous human endeavours, which include discovery of the North and South Pole by Roald Amundsen, the peaceful struggle of Mahatma Gandhi for Indian independence, protection of the environment by Prince Albert II of Monaco, the crossing of the English Channel by Louis Blériot, the political career of John F. Kennedy, the intrepid explorer Colonel John Blashford-Snell in several challenges including his latest expedition to Nepal, and Johan Ernst Nilsson in his audacious Pole2Pole mission. Felix Baumgartner’s name now joins this illustrious list.
October 30, 2012
