Austrian skydiver extraordinaire Felix Baumgartner has joined an elite list of men who have jumped from the edge of space, after he landed safely from a nearly 72,000-foot jump yesterday near Roswell, New Mexico.

An Austrian daredevil is making progress with his plans to jump from the edge of space in a dive that would shatter world skydive records as well as the sound barrier.

Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian extreme sportsman, said his next goal is to try to break the long-standing record for the highest ever parachute jump.

He has spent two decades, and nearly $20 million, in a quest to fly up 40 kilometers to the upper reaches of the atmosphere using a helium balloon, just so he can jump back to Earth again.

By THE CANADIAN PRESS NORTH BATTLEFORD, Sask. - Michel Fournier began final preparations Saturday for a stunt that will, should all go well, end in the pre-dawn darkness Monday with him rising slowly in a helium-powered balloon pod until he can touch the very void of space - and then step off.