Ten Year Anniversary of StratEx Record-breaking Space Jump

TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Thursday, October 24^th marks the ten year anniversary of significant scientific and technological achievement – the high-altitude balloon jump executed by former Google executive Alan Eustace, an accomplishment led by Paragon Space Development Corporation® (Paragon).

In this record-breaking event, the Paragon team opened the stratosphere to human exploration with the StratEx Mission – and in the process, set three world records including exit altitude of 135,890 feet (which is nearly half-way to the Karman Line); freefall distance with drogue or stabilization device; and vertical speed with drogue. All three records stand today. Additionally, the maximum descent velocity of 822 mph - faster than the speed of sound - allowed Alan to become the second person in history to intentionally break the sound barrier outside an aircraft.

"Before the StratEx jump, only two manned flights above 100,000 feet occurred in 231 years of ballooning history, and so we had a real opportunity to make an impact. Looking back to that jump ten years ago, I'm still overwhelmed and astounded by what Paragon's StratEx team was able to do. It was a fantastic effort with a unified vision and a belief in what was possible. There's a reason that the StratEx suit and system are in the Smithsonian Museum," said Grant Anderson, President and CEO and co-founder of Paragon.

The StratEx team included ILC Dover (ILC); United Parachute Technologies (UPT); ADE Technologies Consulting, LLC (ADE); Dr. Jonathan Clark, M.D.; Julian Nott; Sreenivasan Shankarnarayan; Don Day; and over a dozen other subcontractors. The StratEx self-contained suit and recovery system are permanently displayed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

"The StratEx jump showed what humanity can achieve when daring spirit, vision, and teamwork synch together toward an ambitious and adventurous purpose, and we are honored to celebrate Alan's vision," said Ron Sable, Chairman of the Paragon Board of Directors. As a result, the record was selected as a finalist for the 2014 Collier Trophy awarded "for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America" by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association. 

A trusted leader and partner in supporting mission critical operations for space, military, and commercial customers around the world, Paragon develops life support and thermal control solutions for extreme environments. Since StratEx, Paragon has added space suit softgoods to its portfolio of products with the acquisition of Final Frontier Design in 2022.

Media Contact: Grant Anderson, Paragon Space Development Corporation, www.ParagonSDC.com
[email protected], 520-390-9020

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SOURCE Paragon Space Development Corporation