Freefall from space - live

An Austrian daredevil is making an unprecedented leap from the edge of space, setting records as he breaks the speed of sound while free-falling above the US state of New Mexico.

Felix Baumgartner will ascend to 120 000 feet -- nearly 23 miles, or 36 km -- in a capsule taken up to the edge of the stratosphere by a gigantic helium balloon, before stepping out in a pressurized suit to fall back to earth.

The energy drink maker Red Bull, which is sponsoring the feat, has been promoting a live internet stream of the event from nearly 30 cameras on the capsule, the ground and a helicopter. But organisers said there will be a 20-second delay in their broadcast of footage in case of a tragic accident.

Watch the live internet stream here: 

- NEWS24