Thrill doesn’t describe what I imagine will be going through “Fearless Felix” Baumgartner’s mind on Monday as he attempts to break the sound barrier – without an airplane. Baumgartner will jump from 23 miles (about three times higher than commercial airplanes fly), going faster than 690 mph wearing nothing but a pressurized suit and a parachute.

No one knows what will happen after he steps out of his capsule. But the potential downside takes terrifying to a new level. Beyond the run-of-the-mill bleeding eyes and over-inflated lungs, Baumgartner could breach his suit – subjecting him to the freezing cold or incredible shearing forces.

And for what? To be able to say he was the first man to do it? Chuck Yeager took a risk when he flew “Glamorous Glennis” in 1947 to break the sound barrier for the first time. Was it a risk? Sure. But it was a controlled risk, using the best technology of that age.

With the advent of engineering simulation technology, is a risk like Baumgartner’s acceptable? Why endanger yourself on something so seemingly random without doing everything possible to mitigate the myriad risks?

“So many unknowns,” Baumgartner says in an AP article, “but we have solutions to survive.”

For his sake, I hope so. The jump will be broadcast live on the Internet. I, for one, won’t be watching. Maybe I’ll use the time to plan my trip to China…