COLLECTION NAME:
NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Record
Title:
X-15 Mounted to B-52 Mothership Pylon in Flight
Full Description:
This photo illustrates how the X-15 rocket powered aircraft was taken aloft under the wing of a B-52. Because of the large fuel consumption, the X-15 was air launched from a B-52 aircraft at 45,000 ft and a speed of about 500 mph. This photo was taken from one of the observation windows in the B-52 shortly before dropping the X-15. The X-15 was flown over a period of nearly 10 years -- June 1959 to Oct. 1968 -- and set the world's unofficial speed and altitude records of 4,520 mph (Mach 6.7) and 354,200 ft in a program to investigate all aspects of manned hypersonic flight. Information gained from the highly successful X-15 program contributed to the development of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo manned spaceflight programs, and also the Space Shuttle program. The X-15s made a total of 199 flights, and were manufactured by North American Aviation. X-15-1, serial number 56-6670, is now located at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC. North American X-15A-2, serial number 56-6671, is at the United States Air Force Museum, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The X-15-3, serial number 56-6672, crashed on November 15, 1967, resulting in the death of Major Michael J. Adams.
Date:
01/01/1965
NASA Center:
Dryden Flight Research Center
Subject Category:
Top 20 Dryden Aircraft,X-Series Aircraft
Keywords:
American,Aviation,B-52,Boeing,Dryden,North,X-15
Audience:
General Public
facet_what:
Gemini,Mercury
facet_where:
Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC),Mercury,Ohio,United States of America,Washington
facet_when:
01-01-1965,June 1959,November 15, 1967
facet_when_year:
1959,1965,1967
Image #:
EC65-885
UID:
SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-000141
Center:
DFRC
Center Number:
EC65-885
GRIN DataBase Number:
GPN-2000-000141
Creator-Photographer:
NASA
Original Source:
DIGITAL
