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North American |
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X-15
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Photo: Robert Deering 1985
National Museum of the USAF
Dayton, Ohio |
The X-15,
designed to provide data on material and
human factors of high-speed, high-altitude
flight, made the first manned probes into
the lower edges of space. It was built for
speeds of up to 4,000 mph and altitudes of
50 miles, but these goals were exceeded on
numerous occasions. Several X-15 pilots
earned "astronaut" rating by attaining
altitudes above 50 miles. The X-15 flight
program contributed significantly to the
Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects.
The X-15 was
carried aloft by a B-52 and was released at
about 45,000 feet and 500 mph. Its rocket
engine then fired for the first 80-120
seconds of flight. The remainder of the
10-11 minute flight was powerless and ended
with a 200 mph glide landing on a dry lake
bed.
The first powered
X-15 flight was made on Sept. 17. 1959, and
199 flights were made between 1959 and 1968
by the three X-15s that were built. The No.
1 X-15 is at the Smithsonian Institution's
National Air and Space Museum, and the No. 3
X-15 was destroyed in a crash. The No. 2
aircraft was retired to the National Museum
of the United States Air Force in October
1969.
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%20(8X4).jpg)
Photo:
Robert Deering 10/18/2012
National Museum of
the USAF
Dayton, Ohio |
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SPECIFICATIONS: |
PERFORMANCE: |
Span:
22 ft. 5 in.
Length:
52 ft. 5 in.
Height:
14 ft.
Empty Weight:
Gross Weight:
56,132 lbs. (at launch with ram jet test
engine)
Crew:
Engines: Reaction
Motors XLR99 rocket engine of over
50,000 lbs. thrust
Armament:
None |
Maximum
speed:
4,520 mph (unofficial record)
Cruising
speed:
Range:
Over 250 miles (flight path distance)
Service
ceiling:
354,200 ft. (unofficial
record by X-15 No. 3)
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SOURCE:
National Museum of the United States Air
Force |
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X-15
History
(NASA) |
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