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 …

Feb 28, 2014 · It spanned nearly a decade, setting the world’s unofficial speed and altitude records — 4,520 mph (Mach 6.7) and 354,200 feet, respectively. This program investigated all …

First flown in 1959, the North American X-15 bridged the gap between human flight in the atmosphere and spaceflight. It was the first winged aircraft to fly Mach 4, 5, & 6 and to operate …

Its purpose was to fly high and fast, testing the machine and subjecting pilots to conditions that future astronauts would face. It made the first manned flights to the edges of space and was …

Flights of the experimental X-15 in the 1960s set unofficial altitude and speed records for piloted aircraft and contributed to the development of the U.S. crewed spaceflight program.

Feb 2, 2025 · Neil A. Armstrong, a NASA pilot and the first person to moon, has been documented at the contracted flight test program. A modified B-52 Strat fortress, a massive …

Dec 25, 2025 · Information and pictures on the aircraft, X-15.

Developed by North American Aviation for NASA and the U.S. Air Force, the X-15 first flew in 1959. Its primary goals were to investigate aerodynamic heating, control at hypersonic speeds, …

Oct 28, 2025 · Let’s delve into the fascinating world of the X-15 Rocket Plane and explore its history, design, achievements, and impact on space exploration. The X-15 Rocket Plane was …

Composed of an internal structure of titanium and a skin surface of a chrome-nickel alloy known as Inconel X, the X-15 had its first, unpowered glide flight on June 8, 1959, while the first …