A free-fall jump from an altitude of 135,890 feet on October 24, 2014, secured a place for Alan Eustace in the record books. Departing from a helium balloon above Roswell, New Mexico, he surpassed the previous stratospheric altitude record while descending at speeds exceeding 822 miles per hour, marking a shift from his corporate career into aerospace experimentation.
Academic and Early Foundations
Born in 1956 in the United States, Alan Eustace grew up in Pine Hills, Florida. He graduated from Maynard Evans High School in 1974 before attending Valencia College and eventually transferring to Florida Technological University, now the University of Central Florida. During his studies, he held positions at Walt Disney World, including operating the monorail and selling concessions. He transitioned from mechanical engineering to computer science, completing three degrees in the discipline, including a doctorate earned in 1984.
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Early professional work for Eustace included a tenure at Silicon Solutions followed by 15 years at HP’s Western Research Laboratory. There, he focused on chip multi-processors, power management, and internet performance. His partnership with Amitabh Srivastava resulted in ATOM, a binary-code instrumentation system that influenced the EV5, EV6, and EV7 chip designs. He later joined Google, where he served as Senior Vice President of Engineering until 2015. Over his career, he has appeared as a co-inventor on 10 patents and co-authored nine publications.
StratEx Mission and Aerospace Feats
In 2011, Eustace initiated the Stratospheric Explorer project in collaboration with Taber MacCallum of Paragon Space Development. The team spent three years refining life-support systems and parachute designs for a high-altitude jump. Unlike previous missions, the project utilized a pressure suit from ILC Dover and eliminated a capsule, with Eustace tethered directly to a balloon constructed by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Following his 2014 jump, which lasted 4 minutes and 27 seconds in freefall, he received the 2015 Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year award.
Current Engagements
Following his retirement from Google on March 27, 2015, Eustace has continued involvement in the aerospace sector. As of 2025, he serves as the board chair of Pivotal. In this capacity, he has provided public commentary regarding the development of the Pivotal BlackFly, an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
Fast facts
- Born: 1956, United States
- Education: University of Central Florida
- Jump Altitude: 135,890 feet
- Record Date: October 24, 2014
- Peak Speed: 822 miles per hour
- Former Employer: Google
- Current Role: Board chair of Pivotal
- Patents: 10 as co-inventor
Questions readers ask
What record did Alan Eustace break in 2014?
He broke the world record for the highest free-fall jump, reaching an altitude of 135,890 feet from the stratosphere.
What did Alan Eustace do at Google?
He served as the Senior Vice President of Engineering until his retirement from that position on March 27, 2015.
Achievements
- Affiliated with Google
- Educated at University of Central Florida
- Worked as computer scientist, businessperson and aircraft pilot
