Baumgartner’s record breaking skydive also sets a new height for YouTube

More than 8 million people watched Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner’s record-breaking jump live on YouTube, setting a new live-streaming height for the service.

Users from around the world flocked to various devices to watch the historic event on the site, highlighting the change in which consumers view live events.

The streaming kicked off at 7:08pm (UK time) on Sunday and saw the Austrian skydiver break three world records; the highest jump from a platform (128,100 feet), he longest distance freefall (119,846 feet) and the maximum vertical velocity (833.9 mph). Baumgartner and his team had been preparing for the dive, which was sponsored by Red Bull, for the past five years.

The global peak surpasses previous live streamed events from YouTube, including President Obama’s inauguration in 2009 and last year’s Royal wedding.