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ROSWELL, N.M. -- The Associated Press and CNN contributed to this report.

Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner has landed on Earth after a jump from the stratosphere in what could be the world's first supersonic skydive.

Click here to see images of his freefall.

His highest estimated speed on the way down was 729 mph, according to CNN.

"Guardian angels will take care of you," Mission Control said just before he jumped.

"The whole world is watching now," Baumgartner said, before giving a salute and jumping.

Baumgartner landed in eastern New Mexico desert minutes after jumping from 28,000 feet, or 24 miles.

He lifted his arms in victory shortly after landing.

"We live to conquer fears and pursue dreams, may our attempts and accomplishments progress humankind," Baumgartner tweeted to his fans soon after he landed.

He took off in a pressurized capsule carried by a 55-story ultra-thin helium balloon. He jumped from more than three times the height of the average cruising altitude for jetliners. At that height, thin air provides so little resistance that after just 40 seconds, he was expected to be free-falling faster than 690 miles per hour before activating his parachute about 5,000 above the ground in southeastern New Mexico.

You can follow Baumgartner's next steps through his Facebook page and Twitter.