Austrian supersonic skydiver Felix Baumgartner survived a terrifying 'death spin' to become the first man to break the sound barrier in a record-shattering free-fall jump from the edge of space.

The Austrian daredevil leapt from a capsule more than 24 miles (39 kilometers) above the Earth on Sunday, reaching a top speed of 833.9 miles (1,342 kilometers) per hour, or 1.24 times the speed of sound, according to organizers.

The 43-year-old was in freefall for four minutes and 20 seconds before opening his red and white parachute and floating down to the desert in the US state of New Mexico.

Shortly before leaping, in footage beamed live around the world on a crackly radio link recalling Neil Armstrong's first words on the Moon, he had said: "Sometimes you have (to go) up really high to (understand) how small you are."

After a perfect start, anxious viewers around the world looked on in agony as the Austrian started tumbling chaotically in what he termed a terrifying 'death spin' for what seemed like an eternity before finally achieving the correct position.

The Red Bull Stratos mission was the second attempt for the Austrian skydiver after an initial bid on Tuesday was aborted at the last minute due to winds.

The launch coincided with the 65th anniversary of American pilot Chuck Yeager breaking the speed of sound.

Here's a chronological look at Felix Baumgartner's death-defying jump.

FULL STORY HERE