| NASA Center: |
Dryden Flight Research Center |
|---|
| Image # : |
EC66-1017 |
|---|
| Date : |
01/01/1966
|
|---|
|
Title
X-15 Pilots
Full Description
The X-15 flight crew, left to right: Air Force Captain Joseph H. Engle,
Air Force Major Robert A. Rushworth, NASA pilot John B. "Jack" McKay,
Air Force Major William J. "Pete" Knight, NASA pilot Milton O.
Thompson, and NASA pilot Bill Dana.
First flown in 1959 from the NASA High Speed Flight Station (later
renamed the Dryden Flight Research Center), the rocket-powered X-15 was
developed to provide data on aerodynamics, structures, flight controls
and the physiological aspects of high speed, high altitude flight. Three
were built by North American Aviation for NASA and the U.S. Air Force.
They made a total of 199 flights during a highly successful research
program lasting almost ten years. The X-15's main rocket engine provided thrust
for the first 80 to 120 seconds of a 10 to 11 minute flight; the aircraft then
glided to a 200 mph landing. The X-15 reached altitudes of 354,200 feet (67.08
miles) and a speed of 4,520 mph (Mach 6.7).
Keywords
North American Aviation X-15 Joseph Engle Joe Engle Robert Rushworth John McKay Jack McKay William Knight Pete Knight Milton Thompson Milt Thompson Bill Dana NASA Flight Research Center
Subject Category
Top 20 Dryden Aircraft, X-Series Aircraft,
Reference Numbers
- Center:
DFRC
- Center Number:
EC66-1017
- GRIN DataBase Number:
GPN-2000-000143
Source Information
- Creator/Photographer: NASA
- Original Source: DIGITAL
| Resolution | Format | Width
(Pixels) | Height
(Pixels) | Size
(KBytes) |
Thumbnail |
.jpg |
90 |
77 |
15 |
Small |
.jpg |
640 |
550 |
365 |
Medium |
.jpg |
1500 |
1290 |
1,449 |
Large |
.jpg |
2000 |
1720 |
567 |
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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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