Detail View: NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection: X-15 Mounted to B-52 Mothership Pylon in Flight
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Title:
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X-15 Mounted to B-52 Mothership Pylon in Flight
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Full Description:
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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.
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Date:
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01/01/1965
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NASA Center:
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Dryden Flight Research Center
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Subject Category:
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Top 20 Dryden Aircraft,X-Series Aircraft
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Keywords:
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American,Aviation,B-52,Boeing,Dryden,North,X-15
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Audience:
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General Public
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facet_what:
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Gemini,Mercury
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facet_where:
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Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC),Mercury,Ohio,United States of America,Washington
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facet_when:
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01-01-1965,June 1959,November 15, 1967
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facet_when_year:
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1959,1965,1967
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Image #:
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EC65-885
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original url:
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http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2000-000141.html
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UID:
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SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-000141
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Center:
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DFRC
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Center Number:
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EC65-885
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GRIN DataBase Number:
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GPN-2000-000141
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Creator-Photographer:
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NASA
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Original Source:
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DIGITAL
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