Austrian plans to jump from stratosphere

London, Feb 13 (IANS) An Austrian stuntman is planning to jump from a balloon high up in the stratosphere.

Felix Baumgartner, 42, termed it a mission to the "death zone" and said he will be doomed if his world record bid goes wrong, The Sun reported.

The Austrian plans to jump unaided by machine from a height of 120,000 feet (or around 36 km) from a giant balloon over New Mexico, US, this August.

The Austrian will, however, wear an astronaut-style oxygen suit to protect him from minus 70 degrees Celsius temperatures.

"Once I jump there's no turning back. If the life-support system fails there'll only be one result. Racing drivers can enter the pits if things go wrong. For me there's no way out," he said.

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