The guy they call Fearless Felix has become the first skydiver to break the sound barrier.

Felix Baumgartner floated up 39 km into the stratosphere in a capsule pulled by a massive white balloon.

Sitting on the edge of the capsule, Baumgartner said "I know the whole world is watching now and I wish the world could see what I see".

With that the skydiver slipped off, free-falling for more than 4 minutes.  The International Federation of Sports Aviation say he reached a max speed of 1342 km/h.  That amounts to Mach 1.24, faster than the speed of sound.  No one has ever gone that fast wearing only a high-tech suit.

Baumgartner says that travelling that fast is hard to describe because "you don't feel it".

Before his free fall, Fearless Felix says he wasn't thinking about breaking records, but about coming back to earth alive & about his family & girlfriend watching below.

Baumgartner managed both.  After landing safely, he dropped to his knees & pumped his fists in celebration.  He's made his way into the record books not only for breaking the sound barrier, but also for the highest ride in a manned balloon & the highest free fall.

The skydiver says he was humbled by the experience & "sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you are".

**With files from the Associated Press.  Photos & video from Red Bull