INTRODUCTION
Red Bull Stratos meant a lot of things to a lot of different people. At a basic level, the program was about one man pushing his limits; but another phenomenal part of the mission was the making of the team that worked together to pull it off. A defining characteristic of this team was their ability to overcome challenges. They proved time and time again what a passionate group of people can accomplish when – with a real desire to put themselves second and the project first – they focus on a singular objective. As you’ll see, the outcomes have been absolutely amazing for everyone involved. Another defining characteristic of this mission team: They never wanted to keep those outcomes to themselves. A primary goal of the program was to give back. Much as Joe Kittinger’s Excelsior III mission in 1960 delivered vital insights into life support systems and the possibilities for space travel, from the outset all of us on the Red Bull Stratos team wanted to share our findings to hopefully play a small part in the next generation of near-space exploration and high-altitude egress. This publication is the beginning of that process. What you’ll read here is only the tip of the iceberg: analysis will continue, and the team is already planning on sharing subsequent learnings in depth through venues such as subject-specific conferences and journals. I hope that in this initial documentation you’ll enjoy discovering what the people behind Red Bull Stratos experienced and what they learned. Andy Walshe, PhD High Performance Director
Red Bull Stratos Scientific Summit
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