Felix Baumgartner

9:48 pm, Sun 14 Oct 2012 Skydiver survives 24 mile jump

Baumgartner thought: 'Please God, don't let me down'

Record-breaking skydiver Felix Baumgartner speaks to press. Credit: Red Bull Stratos

Felix Baumgartner said that standing on the step, waiting to jump, he thought: "Please God, don't let me down."

9:41 pm, Sun 14 Oct 2012 Skydiver survives 24 mile jump

Baumgartner velocity 'reached 833.9 mph'

Speaking to press, project officials revealed preliminary data which they believe broke the following records:

An exit altitude of 128,100 feet breaks the record for the highest jump by a human.
373 meters per second, 1342.8 kmph or 833.9 mph (mach 1.24) is the highest vertical velocity achieved by a freefalling human.

The speed of sound is about 768 mph.

Watch live: Baumgartner press conference

Click 'play' to watch skydiver Felix Baumgartner speak to media for the first time since his record-breaking jump.

9:28 pm, Sun 14 Oct 2012 Skydiver survives 24 mile jump

Baumgartner jump breaks social media barriers

As Felix Baumgartner rose in his balloon, so did the number of viewers watching on YouTube. Nearly 7.3 million watched as he sat on the edge of the capsule moments before jumping.

The figure is a record for live video on the site.

After he landed, Red Bull posted a picture of the skydiver on his knees on the ground to Facebook, generating nearly 216,000 likes, 10,000 comments and more than 29,000 shares in less than 40 minutes.

And as Baumgartner reached his target height, the project's official Twitter account tweeted a message that has been retweeted over 5,000 times:

Decisions has been made: Baumgartner will jump. http://t.co/rf5aDN7D

From @RedBullStratos on Twitter: ( 5:44 pm, Sun 14 Oct 2012)

8:40 pm, Sun 14 Oct 2012 Skydiver survives 24 mile jump

Baumgartner 'broke sound barrier'

Felix Baumgartner's body pierced the atmosphere at speeds topping 700 miles per hour, appearing to achieve another of his goals: to become the first skydiver to break the speed of sound, according to the project website.

Baumgartner also broke records for the highest altitude manned balloon flight and the highest altitude skydive before landing safely on the ground and raising his arms in a victory salute about 10 minutes after he stepped into the air.