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The North American X-15 is a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the X-plane series of experimental aircraft.
The X-15 also holds the altitude record, from August 22, 1963, when an X-15 was flown 67 miles above the surface of the Earth. Bear in mind that a commercial airliner flies at 7 miles above the ...
Oct 8, 2023 · Launching from the B-52 at speeds more than 500 miles per hour, the X-15’s rocket engine provided thrust for 80-to-120 seconds of flight, before gliding into landing at speeds of 200mph.
Feb 28, 2014 · The X-15 was a follow-on research aircraft to the early X-planes, which had explored the flight regime from just below the speed of sound (Mach 1) to Mach 3.2. In 1952 the NACA had begun preliminary research into space flight and associated problems.
Mar 18, 2014 · X-15: The World's Fastest Rocket Plane and the Pilots who Ushered in the Space Age, by John Anderson and Richard Passman. This first flight was the beginning of one of the most spectacular test programs of one of the most spectacular airplanes in history.
Oct 13, 2023 · On Oct. 15, 1958, the first X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft rolled out of its factory. A joint project among NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy, the X-15 greatly expanded our knowledge of flight at speeds exceeding Mach 6 and altitudes above 250,000 feet.
Sep 5, 2012 · The X-15 was the ultimate “X” vehicle. Built in the 1950s, she became the fastest and highest-flying winged aircraft of its time. During 199 flights from 1959 through 1968, she collected data about hypersonic flight that was invaluable to aeronautics and to developers of the space shuttle.
Mar 25, 2014 · The X-15 is the fastest and highest-flying manned aircraft. Decades after its record-breaking flights, it’s inspiring a new generation of space planes.
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Jul 23, 2019 · The X-15 was a joint research program sponsored by the NACA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and private industry. It was designed to explore the upper limits of supersonic flight above Mach 2 and hypersonic flight beyond Mach 5.
