By the late 1950s, the space race was dominating the Cold War, and the U.S. military was rapidly testing advanced fighter aircraft and figuring out how to build its arsenal of rockets, both for offensive use and to carry Americans into space. Then they hit a roadblock.
The U.S. military built new aircraft so quickly that it encountered new problems. Jets, like the X-15, can hit the upper atmosphere and break the sound barrier. However, high altitudes and speeds mean parachuting from these aircraft is more dangerous than ever. In addition to flying fast, pilots must contend with limited oxygen, extreme cold, and the risk of spinning at terminal speeds. To solve this problem, as the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force puts it, “The U.S. Air Force developed new multi-stage parachutes—small, medium, and then large parachutes that deploy first when a pilot falls—allowing safe descents from incredible heights.”
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It led to Project Lean, in which the U.S. Air Force would deliberately send a pilot into the stratosphere and then jump back to Earth in hopes of perfecting parachute technology. The project started in 1958. Its purpose is to help aircraft operate properly and provide safety data for emerging manned spaceflight programs.
The U.S. military has a long history of trying to reach the stratosphere. For decades in the 20th century, military personnel used balloons to break altitude records. When the space race kicked into full gear in the 1950s, it became a race between the United States and the Soviet Union to use revolutionary rocket technology. But that doesn’t mean the end of balloon use. They will continue to be used for testing, such as the Excelsior project.
Air Force scientists have designed a multi-stage parachute that the Air Force will soon need to test. Staff designed a pod that could use helium balloons to take people miles into the stratosphere, then jump and deploy a parachute system. Enter Air Force Captain Joseph Kittinger, who takes part in one of the craziest science experiments of all time.
Over the course of 10 months, Kittinger reached the stratosphere and jumped back to Earth three times. He wears a specialized pressure suit to accommodate the lack of atmosphere. The suit is basically a basic 1950s design; for example, photos from the jump show it has a toolbox strapped to the back. His first two flights, in late 1959, were between 74,000 and 77,000 feet. He would free-fall back to Earth, enduring violent spins, parachute failure and other problems. About a year later, he took a leap that would lead to a decades-long record.
The third and final test took place on August 16, 1960. On this final jump, Kittinger ascended nearly 20 miles. There is already a problem. The pressure suit had a small flaw: One glove was not pressurized, causing one hand to swell from the low air pressure and Kittinger was unable to pull the ripcord. Kittinger took the balloon to a record altitude of 102,800 feet above Earth and jumped from the cable car despite the challenges. Kittinger’s top speed reached 625.5 mph, a drop of more than four minutes. The parachute deployed and functioned as expected, safely slowing him down and helping him return to Earth.
His efforts in 1960 earned the Air Force officer his second Distinguished Flying Cross. Kittinger “raised an open cable car balloon to an altitude of 102,800 feet, surpassing all previous records,” his citation states.
“From this record altitude, Captain Kittinger successfully tested the experimental stabilizing parachute system, free-falling for four minutes and thirty-eight seconds to an altitude of 17,500 feet, where the recovery parachute deployed,” it continued. “Through this historic achievement of national and international significance, Captain Kittinger made important contributions to the advancement of aviation science. Captain Kittinger’s personal courage, outstanding flying skills and selfless devotion to duty reflect great honor on himself and the United States Air Force.”
Kittinger later fought in Vietnam several times before being shot down in 1972 and spent 11 months as a prisoner of war before being released. During the war he was awarded four more Distinguished Flying Crosses.
If the Excelsior program looks more like something from the X Games, or something sponsored by Red Bull, Red Bull would be sponsoring a similar event over 50 years later. The Air Force veteran was a member of Felix Baumgartner’s crew when he broke Kittinger’s record in 2012.
Still, the Excelsior project ended up being a series of important experiments. These tests not only help prepare jet pilots for rescues, but also aid safety measures in the U.S. space program. It set a record that lasted for over fifty years.