NORTH AMERICAN X-15
World's Fastest and Highest Flying
Aircraft
The North American X-15, a
rocket-powered research aircraft, bridged the gap between manned flights in the
atmosphere and space flight. After its initial test flights in 1959, the X-15
became the first winged aircraft to attain hypersonic velocities of Mach 4, 5,
and 6 (four to six times the speed of sound) and to operate at altitudes well
above 30,500 meters (100,000 feet).
The X-15 was designed to explore the problems of flight at very high speeds ant
altitudes. It was carried to an altitude of 12,000 meters (40,000 feet) under
the wing of a Boeing B-52
bomber. During one test, it attained an altitude of over 108 kilometers
(67 miles), flying so high that it functioned more as a spacecraft than an
airplane. In 1967 it reached Mach 6.72 (7,297 kilometers or 4,534 miles per
hour).
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Wingspan: |
6.7 m (22 ft) |
Length: |
15.5 m (51 ft) |
Height: |
3.9 m (13 ft) |
Weight, gross: |
17,237 kg (38,000 lb) |
Engine: |
Thiokol (Reaction Motors) XLR-99-RM-2 rocket
engine |
Manufacturer: |
North American Aviation |