TORONTO, Oct. 14, 2015 /CNW/ - Three years ago today, Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner ascended to 38,969 m (128, 851 ft) in a stratospheric balloon and made a freefall jump, rushing to Earth at supersonic speeds before parachuting to the ground. The Red Bull Stratos exhibit makes its Canadian debut in Toronto at the Ontario Science Centre, highlighting the science and technology that made this record-breaking mission possible.
"Baumgartner's achievement changes the way in which we view human limits; however, it's the science and technology that made this flight test program possible that I find so compelling," said Dr. Maurice Bitran, CEO, Ontario Science Centre. "Visitors will relive the extraordinary achievement of the Red Bull Stratos team through this exhibit and gain an understanding of the risk taking, creativity and scientific testing required to drive real innovation."
Featuring Baumgartner's space suit and 1,450-kilogram (3,200-pound) pressurized space capsule, the exhibit describes the mission's history, including setbacks, successes and scientific findings. Interactive video displays augment the exhibit, allowing visitors to learn even more about the historic mission, which was envisioned as a flight test program for medical and scientific advancement in human flight.
"It's a great honour for me to know that the Red Bull Stratos mission continues to make a difference through this travelling exhibit, sparking people's interest in science and inspiring them to test their own limits to achieve their goals," said Felix Baumgartner, Pilot, Red Bull Stratos. "I look forward to seeing what the pursuit and realization of their dreams holds for the advancement of science and technology."
The Red Bull Stratos exhibit has toured museums in the United States, Europe and China. The exhibit's international popularity speaks to the basic human need to explore, which results in furthering our understanding of science and technology and redefining what is considered possible.
The Red Bull Stratos exhibit is on display at the Ontario Science Centre until January 11, 2016 and is included with general admission.
About the Ontario Science Centre
The Ontario Science Centre has welcomed more than 50 million visitors since it opened in 1969, pioneering an interactive approach adopted by science centres around the world. Today, the Science Centre is an international leader in free-choice science learning and a key player in Ontario's innovation ecosystem, offering lifelong learning through hands-on, engaging experiences. The Ontario Science Centre is an agency of the Government of Ontario funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. As a publicly assisted organization, the Science Centre relies on generous individuals, corporations and foundations who share a commitment to science and education for additional operating support. For more information about the Ontario Science Centre, please visit www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca.
About Red Bull Stratos
Red Bull Stratos was a mission to the edge of space in which, on October 14, 2012, professional BASE jumper Felix Baumgartner fulfilled a lifelong dream: jumping from a capsule suspended 39 kilometers / 24 miles above Earth by a helium balloon, he became the first human to break the sound barrier in freefall and established numerous additional records in the process. From its inception, the mission was developed as a flight test program for medical and scientific advancement in human flight, and results are being shared with the scientific community.
Free for editorial use, high-resolution photos and high-definition footage from the Red Bull Stratos project can be downloaded in the Red Bull Content Pool at www.redbullstratosnewsroom.com.
SOURCE Ontario Science Centre
Image with caption: "Red Bull Stratos (CNW Group/Ontario Science Centre) (CNW Group/Ontario Science Centre)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151014_C4060_PHOTO_EN_520277.jpg
Image with caption: "Felix Baumgartner, Pilot, and Art Thompson, Technical Director, talk about the science and technology that made the Red Bull Stratos mission possible at the Ontario Science Centre on October 13, 2015. The Red Bull Stratos exhibit runs at the Science Centre until January 11, 2016. (CNW Group/Ontario Science Centre)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151014_C4060_PHOTO_EN_520279.jpg
Image with caption: "Austrian pilot Felix Baumgartner stands on the capsule used for his historic freefall on October 14, 2012 and now on show at the Ontario Science Centre. The Red Bull Stratos exhibit explores highlights the equipment used in the mission and runs at the Science Centre until January 11, 2016. (CNW Group/Ontario Science Centre)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151014_C4060_PHOTO_EN_520281.jpg
Ryan Brown, Red Bull Communications, 416-542-7506, [email protected]; Anna Relyea, Director, Strategic Communications, Ontario Science Centre, 416-696-3273, cell: 416-668-1967, [email protected]
Guided by our mission to inspire passion for the human adventure of discovery, the Ontario Science Centre strives to be a global leader in lifelong learning, a vital link in Ontario’s education and innovation ecosystems and a convener of public dialogue about technology,...
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