| NASA Center: |
Dryden Flight Research Center |
|---|
| Image # : |
E-4935 |
|---|
| Date : |
01/01/1959
|
|---|
|
Title
X-15 Mated to B-52 Captive Flight
Full Description
One of three X-15 rocket-powered research aircraft being carried aloft
under the wing of its B-52 mothership. The X-15 was air launched from
the B-52 so the rocket plane would have enough fuel to reach its high
speed and altitude test points.
For flight in the dense air of the usable atmosphere, the X-15 used
conventional aerodynamic controls. For flight in the thin air outside
of the appreciable Earth's atmosphere, the X-15 used a reaction control
system. Hydrogen peroxide thrust rockets located on the nose of the
aircraft provided pitch and yaw control. Those on the wings provided
roll control.
The X-15s made a total of 199 flights over a period of nearly 10 years
and set world's unofficial speed and altitude records of 4,520 miles
per hour (Mach 6.7) and 354,200 feet. 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.
Keywords
Boeing B-52 X-15 NASA Flight Research Center
Subject Category
Top 20 Dryden Aircraft, X-Series Aircraft,
Reference Numbers
- Center:
DFRC
- Center Number:
E-4935
- GRIN DataBase Number:
GPN-2000-000109
Source Information
- Creator/Photographer: NASA
- Original Source: DIGITAL
| Resolution | Format | Width
(Pixels) | Height
(Pixels) | Size
(KBytes) |
Thumbnail |
.jpg |
90 |
70 |
9 |
Small |
.jpg |
640 |
501 |
185 |
Medium |
.jpg |
1500 |
1175 |
1,139 |
Large |
.jpg |
3000 |
2349 |
5,662 |
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Updated October 31, 2002
• History Questions: NASA History Office
• Responsible NASA Official: Steve Garber
• Author: Michael Hahn. Editor: Dwayne A. Day
• Curator & Technical Questions: Erin Needham
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