In August 1960, a man jumped from the stratosphere toward the ground at nearly 1000 km/h

On August 16, 1960, Joseph Kittinger left a small open gondola 31.3 kilometers from the ground and began a fall that would take him to speeds close to one thousand kilometers per hour. This historic jump set several records that remained unmatched for decades.

Kittinger's feat went down in history precisely for the records it set, becoming one of the most remarkable moments in space exploration and aviation. The freefall from the stratosphere represented an extraordinary achievement for the time.

The article mentions that the jump was intended to demonstrate human capabilities under extreme altitude conditions, contributing significantly to scientific knowledge about high-altitude flight and the safety of pilots and astronauts.