Parachutist safely completes 11,551-metre jump from hot-air balloon

Russian parachutist Sergey Boytsov has safely completed a jump from 11,551 metres above Russia’s Altai region, exceeding the reported previous benchmark for a descent from a conventional hot-air balloon by 1,491 metres. The result remains subject to review and ratification by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.

Boytsov launched from the open basket of the balloon and spent 150 seconds in free fall, reaching a reported maximum speed of 501 kilometres per hour. He opened his main parachute at 1,565 metres above the ground, then made a controlled descent lasting 4 minutes and 49 seconds. The entire descent took 7 minutes and 19 seconds, ending without injury in the Ust-Kalmansky district.

Conditions at altitude included temperatures as low as minus 59 degrees Celsius. Boytsov used thermally insulated clothing and an autonomous oxygen system, while a ground team monitored the weather and cleared him to jump.

The achievement is specific to jumps from conventional hot-air balloons with open baskets. It does not challenge the overall altitude record for parachuting, which was set using a helium balloon at more than 41 kilometres. Because the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere varies with location and atmospheric conditions, the launch altitude is best described as near the edge of the stratosphere.