felix baumgartner will attempt to break the world record for the highest altitude sky dive when he jumps from the edge of space on october 8th. a giant balloon will carry the 43-year-old in a space capsule 23 miles above new mexico where he's going to make his leap. he has successfully completed several test jumps in preparation for this. but, you know, it's like over achieving. isn't sky diving enough? do you have to make us look that bad? >> this guy is on the edge. i mean, he looked like an apollo astronaut. >> are you going to burst into "edge of glory," lady gaga. you want to. i see it in your eyes. >>> well, it's time for now for an early look at some of the stories we'll follow throughout the day here on nbc. >> burial services will be held at arlington national cemetery for army chief warrant officer thalia ramirez. ramirez died when her helicopter crashed in afghanistan while supporting operation enduring freedom. >>> the national park service will hold a news conference to provide an update on repair work for the washington monument. the upper portion of the landmark sustained

. >> after years of planning, plotting and dreaming, the red bull strat tis mission, felix baumgartner, jumping from the edge of space and sky dive from the edge of space is going to attempt to make his leap on october 8th if conditions are right in rosswell, new mexico. red bull releasing this animation showing step by step how his mission is supposed to go off. a balloon made out of plastic, centers in a ziplock bag, going to take him to the edge of space, 120,000 feet. >> all right. oxygen is off. >> roger. proceed to exit. >> he opens the capsule door. ♪ >> stands on the edge of history and leaps. >> clear. i'm on my own. >> felix is going to break the sound barrier. >> physical human body is going to create a sonic boom. >> they've been planning this such a long time. i am ready for it to finally happen. i'm biting my nails. >> so giddy about this. the idea that he won't be able to see where he's landing -- >> doing something like this, breaking the speed of sound has always been my dream since i was a little kid. >> the capsule made a hard landing in july during one of the tests.

it shows what felix baumgartner hopes to achieve. he's trying to break the world record for the highest altitude sky dive. the plan is for a giant helium balloon to lift him 23 mile above new mexico on october 8th. he'll then freefall through the air. he also hopes to break the sound barrier using only his body and the force of gravity. he'd need to reach a speed of 768 miles an hour. the 43-year-old baumgartner completed his final test jump back in july. we'll let you know how it goes. arthel: okay. back to the campaign trail, right now one theme of president obama's re-election bid is equal pay for equal work. an assertion by the president and democrats that women earn about 77 cents for every dollar that men earn. but analysts raised questions about this hot button issue. chief national correspondent jim angle is live in washington. all right, jim, so what's the big deal? [laughter] >> reporter: well, arthel, the key assertion, as you say, is that women only make 77 cents for every dollar that men make. that is in obama ads and in