The chance for 64-year-old retired French army officer and skydiving enthusiast Michel Fournier to fulfill his dream is finally here, as he prepared for the leap of his life. This weekend he began preparing for a journey that will take him 130,000 feet above Earth in a helium-powered balloon.

If successful, Fournier will become the first man to have skydived from such an altitude, breaking four previous free-fall records. With a specially designed suit, and facing temperatures of negative 115 degrees, he should reach Earth in approximately 15 minutes.

The weather plays of course a critical factor in his mission, and if Monday’s attempt is thwarted from happening, Fournier is decided to give it a chance another day. However, the skies should be clear for the Monday jump.

It took him over 20 years and $20 million to make his dream come true. However, he will have to face harsh conditions, as the oxygen gets scarce at high altitudes, and temperatures get low. With the help of his special designed suit, he should be able to overcome these issues though.

The previous record has been in place for almost half a century: Col. Joseph Kittinger, U.S. Air Force captain, leaped 101,700 feet on August 16, 1950.

Fournier’s efforts began as a response to the tragic loss of seven Challenger astronauts in 1986. Two year later, he was selected to participate in a project designed to ensure the safety of astronauts by providing safe escape solutions in case of emergency.

However, when the project was abandoned, Fournier decided to continue his quest, and with the help of several sponsors, twenty years later his dream is about to come true.