North American X-15
Also known as: North American X-15 · X15
- 1The North American X-15 is a hypersonic, rocket-powered aircraft used for experimental research.
- 2It was operated by both the United States Air Force and NASA as part of the X-plane series.
- 3The aircraft reached the edge of outer space during its test flights in the 1960s.
- 4On October 3, 1967, pilot William J. Knight achieved a record speed of 4,520 miles per hour.
- 5The X-15 reached a maximum speed of Mach 6.7 at an altitude of 102,100 feet.
- 6It holds the unbroken world record for the highest speed achieved by a crewed, powered aircraft.
The North American X-15 is a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft formerly 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.
Connections1
piloted the experimental rocket-powered aircraft
Armstrong was one of the test pilots for the North American X-15, a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft that reached the edge of space.
The North American X-15 is a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft formerly 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 set speed and altitude records in the 1960s, crossing the edge of outer space and returning with valuable data used in aircraft and spacecraft design. The X-15's highest speed, 4,520 miles per hour, was achieved on 3 October 1967, when William J. Knight flew at Mach 6.7 at an altitude of 102,100 feet (31,120 m), or 19.34 miles. This set the official world record for the highest speed ever recorded by a crewed, powered aircraft and remains unbroken.
"The X-15A-3 rocket plane flies over Edwards Air Force Base during a mission in the 1960s. The aircraft crashed in 1967, killing pilot Maj. Michael J. Adams. According to a NASA report, the X-15A-3 crashed 'due to a stable, albeit non-robust adaptive controller.' The U. S. Air Force Test Pilot School recently validate...Wikimedia Commons; U.S. Air Force; https://www.edwards.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2001667598/; Public domain; Wikimedia Commons: North American X-15North American X-15 3D viewWikimedia Commons; NASA; Public domain; Wikimedia Commons: North American X-15The North American X-15 aircraft, ship #1 (56-6670), sits on the lakebed early in its illustrious career of high speed flight research. X-15-1, serial number 56-6670, is now located at the National Air and Space museum, Washington DC.Wikimedia Commons; NASA; http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/X-15/HTML/E-5251.html; Public domain; Wikimedia Commons; Wikidata P18 (image) 119 words