It ’s the sort of scenario that normally stop with ahypnic jerky – the sense datum of falling as you wake up from a dream in a dusty exertion – except this clock time there were no pillows or bedcovers to cater reassurance . Instead , all that 42 - twelvemonth - old American Luke Aikins had to buffer his homecoming to Earth was an enormous net profit made of plastic fibers , which he plunged into from a summit of 7,620 meter ( 25,000 feet ) after jumping out of a plane with no chute .

With more than 18,000 previous jumps under his whang , Aikins decide two years ago that the time had do to call down the stakes , and began school for the highest ever chute - less freefall . Finally performing thestuntin Simi Valley , California , in front of a live interview – admit his married woman and boy – Aikins plunk down into the record books at a thorn - prickle speed of 193 kilometers per hour ( 120 miles per hour ) .

keep company by three keep crew – all of whom wore parachutes – Aikins used an O tank for the first 3,050 meter ( 10,000 feet ) of his pedigree , before hand this off to one of his escorts . Reachingterminal velocityin a matter of seconds , the daredevil stomach flop boldness down , towards the ground , using a GPS tracker to align himself with the center of a 30 - by-30 metre ( 100 - by-100 - foot )   cyberspace made of inelastic yet improbably strongpolyethylenecord .

In the last stages of his freefall , Aikins rolled over to face the sky , tucked his Kuki into his pectus , and waited for the impression of something solid against his back . suspend by four enormous cranes , the internet then mildly dropped as before long as Aikins made contact with it , to let out his fall by slowly decelerating him .

Though stunts like this obviously stock a huge potential for calamity to strike , Aikins ’ explain in aFacebookpost that his punctilious provision ensured that by the prison term it issue forth to jump day , there was “ nothing but internet ” breaking his landing .

Yet in spite of all his punishing work in the two years lead up to the event , the organizer were n’t quite so surefooted in his power to pull it off , with the Screen Actors Guild insist that he wear a parachute , just in case . However , this extra weight would have importantly increased the risk factor , leading to this prerequisite being lifted in the final hour before take - off .