List of X-15 flights

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Three X-15 spaceplanes performed 199 free flights. X-15 in flight.jpg
Three X-15 spaceplanes performed 199 free flights.

The flights of the North American X-15 , an experimental American spaceplane built by North American Aviation and operated by the United States Air Force and NASA, were conducted from 1959-1968. Twelve pilots flew three X-15 spaceplanes, flying record high-altitude flights, high-speed flights, and sub-orbital spaceflights. Collectively, pilots and craft performed a total of 199 free flights after being carried aloft and then air launched from one of two modified B-52 mother ships. The pilots and craft also performed twelve scheduled captive carry test flights and 125 aborted flights (frequently due either to technical problems or poor weather) in which the X-15 did not uncouple from its B-52 mother ship, for a grand total of 336 flights. [1] [2] [lower-alpha 1] The X-15 program's flights generated data and flight experience which supported future development of aircraft, spacecraft, and human spaceflight.

Contents

Five principal aircraft were used during the X-15 program: three X-15 spaceplanes and two modified "nonstandard" NB-52 bomber carriers:

Additionally, F-100, F-104 and F5D chase aircraft and C-130 and C-47 transports supported the program. [3]

Pilots

Twelve pilots flew the X-15 over the course of its career. Scott Crossfield and William Dana flew the X-15 on its first and last free flights, respectively. Joseph Walker set the program's top two altitude records on its 90th and 91st free flights (347,800 and 354,200 feet, respectively), becoming the only pilot to fly past the Kármán line, the 100 kilometer, FAI-recognized boundary of outer space, during the program. William Knight set the program's Mach (6.70) and speed (4,520 mph) records on its 188th free flight. Neil Armstrong was the first pilot to fly the program's third plane, the X-15-3. Following his participation in the program, Joe Engle commanded a future spaceplane, the Space Shuttle, on two missions. Robert Rushworth flew 34 free flights, the most in the program. Forrest Petersen flew five, the fewest. Robert White was the first person to fly the X-15 above 100,000 feet. Milton Thompson piloted a series of typical flights during the middle of the program. John McKay was injured in (and recovered from, returning to active flight status) a landing accident which damaged the X-15-2, leading to its refurbishment as the modified X-15A-2. Michael Adams was killed in the program's 191st free flight. Five pilots were Air Force personnel, five were NASA personnel, one (Crossfield) was employed by manufacturer North American, and one (Petersen) was a Navy pilot.

Over thirteen flights, eight pilots flew above 264,000 feet or 50 miles, thereby qualifying as astronauts according to the United States definition of the space border. All five Air Force pilots flew above 50 miles and were awarded military astronaut wings contemporaneously with their achievements, including Adams, who received the distinction posthumously following the flight 191 disaster. [4] However the other three were NASA employees, and did not receive a comparable decoration at the time. In 2004, the Federal Aviation Administration conferred its first-ever commercial astronaut wings on Mike Melvill and Brian Binnie, pilots of the commercial SpaceShipOne, another spaceplane with a flight profile comparable to the X-15's. Following this in 2005, NASA retroactively awarded its civilian astronaut wings to Dana (then living), and to McKay and Walker (posthumously). [5] [6] Eleven flights above 50 miles were made in the X-15-3, and two were made in the X-15-1.

Every X-15 pilot also flew as a program chase pilot at least once, supporting missions in which they were not flying as lead pilots. Other chase pilots included future astronauts Michael Collins, Fred Haise and Jim McDivitt. [7]

The two NB-52 mother ships were most frequently piloted by Fitz Fulton. [8] On one occasion Chuck Yeager, former pilot of the X-15's predecessor X-plane the X-1, the first crewed craft to break the sound barrier, assisted as NB-52 co-pilot for an aborted flight. [9]

X-15 pilots as of December 1965, left to right: Joe Engle, Bob Rushworth, John McKay, Pete Knight, Milt Thompson, and Bill Dana. X-15 Pilots - GPN-2000-000143.jpg
X-15 pilots as of December 1965, left to right: Joe Engle, Bob Rushworth, John McKay, Pete Knight, Milt Thompson, and Bill Dana.
The twelve X-15 pilots and their flights [lower-alpha 2]
X-15 pilotsPilot flights by individual planeFlight totals by pilot
X-15-1X-15-2X-15-3
PilotAgencyFFCAFFFCAFFFCAFPTFFPTCAFPGTF
USAF astronaut Mike Adams.jpg Michael
Adams
USAF 483271017
Pilot Neil Armstrong and X-15 -1 - GPN-2000-000121.jpg Neil
Armstrong
NASA 3447411
Scott Crossfield (7552411090).jpg Scott
Crossfield
NAA 251211141630
William H. Dana- First NASA Employee (7584812322).jpg William
Dana
NASA 67106161329
STS-2 Engle interview.jpg Joe
Engle
USAF 739316622
Pete Knight by X15 19671003.jpg William
Knight
USAF 62882161026
John B. McKay X-15.jpg John
McKay
NASA 121011862292049
ForrestSilasPetersonUSN.jpg Forrest
Petersen
USN 421527
Robert A. Rushworth.jpg Robert
Rushworth
USAF 13512894341751
Milton O. Thompson.jpg Milton
Thompson
NASA 579214923
Joseph Albert Walker.jpg Joseph
Walker
NASA 1373295251439
Robert M. White.jpg Robert
White
USAF 656744161632
Flight totals by plane816153446532199137336

Flight numbering

Two conventions have been used to number the X-15's flights. In one, the numbers 1 through 199 were used to chronologically denote the free flights made by any of the three spaceplanes. For example, flight 1 (8 June 1959) was made by the X-15-1, flight 34 (7 March 1961) was made by the X-15-2, and flight 49 (5 April 1962) was made by the X-15-3. This convention ignores captive and aborted flights.

The other convention was an official three-part flight designation number, described in a 1960 letter by NASA flight research director Paul Bikle, [lower-alpha 3] and split into three columns below. The first part, a number—1, 2 or 3—would denote the involved X-15 plane. The second part—a number, or "A", or "C"—would denote that individual X-15's chronological free flights; aborted flights were coded as "A", and scheduled captive carry test flights were coded as "C". The third part, a number, would denote the total number of times to-date that the individual X-15 had been taken aloft by a carrier, whether resulting in a free flight or not. For example, the X-15-1 was first taken aloft on scheduled captive test flight 1-C-1, next performed three aborted missions (1-A-2, 1-A-3, and 1-A-4), and then performed its first successful free flight on its fifth time taken aloft (1-1-5). [lower-alpha 4]

On 9 November 1962, flight 74 (2-31-52), the X-15-2 suffered a landing accident which damaged the craft and also injured its pilot, John McKay, who suffered crushed vertebrae and later returned to active flight status. [11] This presented North American with an opportunity not only to repair the plane, but to modify it—an idea which the Air Force and NASA were uninterested in while all three spaceplanes were in operational service, but agreed to once repairs were made necessary. [12] The result was a new, distinct airframe known as the X-15A-2 which returned to flight in June 1964, first on a scheduled captive check-out flight (15 June, 2-C-53) and an abort (23 June, 2-A-54) before finally making its return free flight on 25 June (flight 109, 2-32-55), all piloted by Robert Rushworth. The flight numbering conventions made no distinction between the original craft and its modified iteration; it continued to be designated "2".

Neither convention accounted for which of the two NB-52 carriers took an X-15 aloft, given in a separate column below. On free flights, the NB-52A carried the X-15 aloft 93 times, while the NB-52B carried it aloft 106 times.

List of flights

Flights of the North American X-15
3 Pt. FID
GTFFFPlFF(I)TF(I)CarrDatePilotMMMVMANotes [lower-alpha 5]
11C110 March 1959CrossfieldThe X-15-1's first time aloft. Crossfield's first time aloft. First time aloft of program.
21A21 April 1959Crossfield
31A310 April 1959Crossfield
41A421 May 1959Crossfield
5111538 June 1959Crossfield0.7952237,550The X-15-1's first free flight. Crossfield's first free flight. Glide flight, only one scheduled during program.
62C124 June 1959CrossfieldThe X-15-2's first time aloft.
72A24 September 1959Crossfield
82213317 September 1959Crossfield2.111,39352,341The X-15-2's first free flight. First powered flight of program.
92A410 October 1959Crossfield
102A514 October 1959Crossfield
113226317 October 1959Crossfield2.151,41961,781
122A722 October 1959Crossfield
132A831 October 1959Crossfield
14423935 November 1959Crossfield1.0066045,462XLR-11 engine explodes after ignition and the fuselage breaks during landing.
151A616 December 1959Crossfield
165127823 January 1960Crossfield2.531,66966,844
172A104 February 1960Crossfield
1862411811 February 1960Crossfield2.221,46688,116
1972512817 February 1960Crossfield1.571,03652,640
2082613817 March 1960Crossfield2.151,41952,640
212A1418 March 1960Crossfield
229138825 March 1960Walker2.001,32048,630Walker's first free flight.
23102715829 March 1960Crossfield1.961,29349,982
24112816831 March 1960Crossfield2.031,34051,356
2512149313 April 1960White1.901,25448,000White's first free flight.
26131510319 April 1960Walker2.561,68959,496
272A175 May 1960Crossfield
2814161136 May 1960White2.201,45260,938
29151712312 May 1960Walker3.192,11177,882
30161813319 May 1960White2.311,590108,997
31172918826 May 1960Crossfield2.201,45251,282
321A1427 May 1960Walker
331A153 June 1960Walker
341A168 June 1960Walker
3518191734 August 1960Walker3.312,19678,112
361A1811 August 1960White
371911019312 August 1960White2.521,772136,500
381A2018 August 1960Walker
392011121319 August 1960Walker3.131,98675,982
401A222 September 1960White
412111223810 September 1960White3.232,18279,864
421A2420 September 1960PetersenPetersen's first time aloft.
432211325823 September 1960Petersen1.681,10853,043Petersen's first free flight.
441A2611 October 1960Petersen
452A1913 October 1960Crossfield
462311427820 October 1960Petersen1.941,28053,800
472411528828 October 1960McKay2.021,33350,700McKay's first free flight.
482A204 November 1960Crossfield
49251162984 November 1960Rushworth1.951,28748,900Rushworth's first free flight.
502621021315 November 1960Crossfield2.971,96081,200The X-15-2's first flight with the XLR-99 engine.
512711730317 November 1960Rushworth1.901,25454,750
522821122322 November 1960Crossfield2.511,65661,900
532911831830 November 1960Armstrong1.751,15548,840Armstrong's first free flight.
54302122336 December 1960Crossfield2.851,88153,374Crossfield's last free flight.
55311193289 December 1960Armstrong1.801,18850,095
561A3315 December 1960McKay
571A3411 January 1961McKay
58321203581 February 1961McKay1.881,21149,780
59331213687 February 1961White3.502,27578,150
602A2421 February 1961White
612A2524 February 1961White
62342132687 March 1961White4.432,90577,450
632A2721 March 1961Walker
64 35 21428830 March 1961Walker3.952,760169,600
653621529321 April 1961White4.623,074105,000
662A3019 May 1961Walker
673721631325 May 1961Walker4.953,307107,500
682A3220 June 1961White
693821733323 June 1961White5.273,603107,700
703912237310 August 1961Petersen4.112,73578,200The X-15-1's first flight with the XLR-99 engine.
714021834812 September 1961Walker5.213,618114,300
724121935828 September 1961Petersen5.303,600101,800
731A3829 September 1961Rushworth
74421233934 October 1961Rushworth4.302,83078,000
754322036311 October 1961White5.213,647217,000
764412440317 October 1961Walker5.743,900108,600
771A4127 October 1961White
781A422 November 1961White
791A433 November 1961White
80452213789 November 1961White6.044,093101,600
813A119 December 1961ArmstrongThe X-15-3's first time aloft.
8246312320 December 1961Armstrong3.762,50281,000The X-15-3's first free flight.
834712544310 January 1962Petersen0.9764544,750Petersen's last free flight.
8448323317 January 1962Armstrong5.513,765133,500
853A429 March 1962Armstrong
863A530 March 1962Armstrong
873A631 March 1962Armstrong
884933735 April 1962Armstrong4.122,850180,000
891A4518 April 1962Walker
905012646319 April 1962Walker5.693,866154,000
9151348820 April 1962Armstrong5.313,789207,500
922A3825 April 1962White
932A3926 April 1962White
941A4727 April 1962Walker
955212748830 April 1962Walker4.943,489246,700
96532224088 May 1962Rushworth5.343,52470,400
975412849322 May 1962Rushworth5.033,450100,400
982A4125 May 1962White
992A4229 May 1962White
100552234381 June 1962White5.423,675132,600
101561295037 June 1962Walker5.393,672103,600
10257359812 June 1962White5.023,517184,600
103583610821 June 1962White5.083,641246,700
1045913051327 June 1962Walker5.924,104123,700
1056022444829 June 1962McKay4.953,28083,200
1063A1110 July 1962White
1073A1211 July 1962White
1083A1316 July 1962White
1096113152816 July 1962Walker5.373,674107,200
110 62 3714317 July 1962White5.453,832314,750U.S. spaceflight.
1116322545819 July 1962McKay5.183,47485,250
1126413253326 July 1962Armstrong5.743,98998,900Armstrong's last free flight.
1133A151 August 1962Walker
11465381632 August 1962Walker5.073,438144,500
115662264688 August 1962Rushworth4.402,94390,877
1163A1710 August 1962Walker
117673918314 August 1962Walker5.253,747193,600
1186822747820 August 1962Rushworth5.243,53488,900
1196922848829 August 1962Rushworth5.123,44797,200
1202A4927 September 1962McKay
1217022950828 September 1962McKay4.222,76568,200
122713101984 October 1962Rushworth5.173,493112,200
123722305139 October 1962McKay5.463,716130,200
1247331120823 October 1962Rushworth5.473,764134,500
125742315289 November 1962McKay1.491,01953,950The X-15-2's last free flight. Landing accident damaged craft and injured pilot, leading to modification.
1263A2113 December 1962White
1277531222814 December 1962White5.653,742141,400White's last free flight.
1287631323820 December 1962Walker5.733,793160,400
1297731424817 January 1963Walker5.473,677271,700U.S. spaceflight.
1307813354811 April 1963Rushworth4.252,86474,400
1317931525818 April 1963Walker5.513,77092,500
1328013455825 April 1963McKay5.323,654105,500
133813162682 May 1963Walker4.733,488209,400
1343A2710 May 1963Rushworth
1358231728814 May 1963Rushworth5.203,60095,600
1368313556315 May 1963McKay5.573,856124,200
1378431829829 May 1963Walker5.523,85892,000
1388531930818 June 1963Rushworth4.973,539223,700
1398613657325 June 1963Walker5.513,911111,800
140 87 32031827 June 1963Rushworth4.893,425285,000U.S. spaceflight.
1411A583 July 1963Walker
142881375989 July 1963Walker5.073,631226,400
1431A6017 July 1963Rushworth
1448913861318 July 1963Rushworth5.633,925104,800
145 90 32132819 July 1963Walker5.503,710347,800FAI spaceflight. Second highest altitude of program.
1463A336 August 1963Walker
1473A3413 August 1963Walker
1483A3515 August 1963Walker
149 91 32236322 August 1963Walker5.583,794354,200FAI spaceflight. Walker's last free flight. Highest altitude of program.
1501A624 October 1963EngleEngle's first time aloft.
151921396387 October 1963Engle4.212,83477,800Engle's first free flight.
1523A3714 October 1963Rushworth
1533A3825 October 1963Rushworth
1549314064829 October 1963Thompson4.102,71274,400Thompson's first free flight.
155943233987 November 1963Rushworth4.402,92582,300
1569514165814 November 1963Engle4.753,28690,800
1573A4019 November 1963Thompson
1589632441827 November 1963Thompson4.943,31089,800
1591A663 December 1963Rushworth
160971426785 December 1963Rushworth6.064,018101,000
1611A6818 December 1963Rushworth
162981436988 January 1964Engle5.323,616139,900
1639932542816 January 1964Thompson4.923,24271,000
16410014470828 January 1964Rushworth5.343,618107,400
16510132643319 February 1964Thompson5.293,51978,600
16610232744313 March 1964McKay5.113,39276,000
1671A7117 March 1964Rushworth
16810314572327 March 1964Rushworth5.633,827101,500
1693A4531 March 1964McKay
1701041467338 April 1964Engle5.013,468175,000
17110514774329 April 1964Rushworth5.723,906101,600
1723A4611 May 1964McKay
17310632847312 May 1964McKay4.663,08472,800
17410714875319 May 1964Engle5.023,494195,800
17510832948321 May 1964Thompson2.901,86564,200
1761A7611 June 1964Thompson
1772C5315 June 1964RushworthThe X-15A-2's first time aloft. Return to service of modified craft.
1782A5423 June 1964Rushworth
17910923255325 June 1964Rushworth4.593,10483,300The X-15A-2's first free flight. Return flight of modified craft.
18011014977330 June 1964McKay4.963,33499,600
1813A492 July 1964Engle
1821113305038 July 1964Engle5.053,520170,400
1833A5128 July 1964Engle
18411233152329 July 1964Engle5.383,62378,000
18511333253312 August 1964Thompson5.243,53581,200
18611423356314 August 1964Rushworth5.233,590103,300
18711533354326 August 1964McKay5.653,86391,000
1881163345533 September 1964Thompson5.353,61578,600
1893A5623 September 1964Engle
19011733557328 September 1964Engle5.593,88897,000
19111823457829 September 1964Rushworth5.203,54297,800
1921A782 October 1964McKay
19311915079815 October 1964McKay4.563,04884,900
1943C5829 October 1964Thompson
19512033659830 October 1964Thompson4.663,11384,600
1962C586 November 1964McKay
1972C5916 November 1964McKay
19812123560830 November 1964McKay4.663,08987,200
1991A804 December 1964Engle
2001223376089 December 1964Thompson5.423,72392,400
20112315181310 December 1964Engle5.353,675113,200
20212433861322 December 1964Rushworth5.553,59381,200
20312533962313 January 1965Thompson5.483,71299,400
2041A8226 January 1965McKay
2051263406382 February 1965Engle5.713,88598,200
2062C6115 February 1965Rushworth
2072C6215 February 1965Rushworth
20812723663817 February 1965Rushworth5.273,51195,100
2091A8319 February 1965McKay
2101A8425 February 1965McKay
21112815285826 February 1965McKay5.403,750153,600
21212915386826 March 1965Rushworth5.173,580101,900
21313034164823 April 1965Engle5.483,58079,700
21413123764828 April 1965McKay4.803,27392,600
2151A8711 May 1965Thompson
2162A6513 May 1965McKay
21713223866818 May 1965McKay5.173,541102,100
21813315488825 May 1965Thompson4.873,418179,800
21913434265828 May 1965Engle5.173,754209,600
2202A674 June 1965McKay
2212A688 June 1965McKay
2222A6911 June 1965McKay
22313534366316 June 1965Engle4.693,404244,700
22413615589817 June 1965Thompson5.143,541108,500
22513723970822 June 1965McKay5.643,938155,900
22613834467829 June 1965Engle4.943,432280,600U.S. spaceflight.
2272A712 July 1965McKay
2281392407238 July 1965McKay5.193,659212,600
2293A6813 July 1965Rushworth
23014034569820 July 1965Rushworth5.403,760105,400
2311A9023 July 1965Thompson
2321A9127 July 1965Thompson
2331A9228 July 1965Thompson
2341412417383 August 1965Rushworth5.163,602208,700
2351421569386 August 1965Thompson5.153,534103,200
23614334670310 August 1965Engle5.203,550271,000U.S. spaceflight.
2371A9420 August 1965Thompson
2381A9524 August 1965Thompson
23914415796325 August 1965Thompson5.113,604214,100Thompson's last free flight.
24014534771826 August 1965Rushworth4.793,372239,600
2411462427482 September 1965McKay5.163,570239,800
2421471589789 September 1965Rushworth5.253,53497,200
24314834872814 September 1965McKay5.033,519239,000
24414915998322 September 1965Rushworth5.183,550100,300
24515034973328 September 1965McKay5.333,732295,600U.S. spaceflight.
24615116099330 September 1965Knight4.062,71876,600Knight's first free flight.
2471A1008 October 1965Engle
24815235074812 October 1965Knight4.623,10894,400
249153161101314 October 1965Engle5.083,554266,500U.S. spaceflight. Engle's last free flight.
25015435175327 October 1965McKay5.063,519236,900
2511A1022 November 1965DanaDana's first time aloft.
2521552437533 November 1965Rushworth2.311,50070,600
25315616210384 November 1965Dana4.222,76580,200Dana's first free flight.
2542A7613 April 1966Rushworth
2552A7720 April 1966Rushworth
2562A785 May 1966Rushworth
25715716310436 May 1966McKay2.211,43468,400
25815824479318 May 1966Rushworth5.433,68999,000
2591A1052 June 1966McKay
2601A10610 June 1966McKay
2613A7620 June 1966Dana
2622C8027 June 1966Rushworth
2631592458181 July 1966Rushworth1.701,06144,800Rushworth's last free flight.
264160164107312 July 1966Knight5.343,652130,000
2653A7713 July 1966Dana
26616135278318 July 1966Dana4.713,21796,100
2672A8220 July 1966Knight
26816224683321 July 1966Knight5.123,568192,300
269163165108828 July 1966McKay5.193,702241,800
2701642478483 August 1966Knight5.033,440249,000
2711653537984 August 1966Dana5.343,693132,700
2721A1099 August 1966McKay
2731A11010 August 1966McKay
274166166111311 August 1966McKay5.213,590251,000
27516724885312 August 1966Knight5.023,472231,100
27616835480319 August 1966Dana5.203,607178,000
277169167112325 August 1966McKay5.113,543257,500
27817024986830 August 1966Knight5.213,543102,200
27917116811388 September 1966McKay2.441,60273,200McKay's last free flight.
2803A8113 September 1966Dana
28117235582314 September 1966Dana5.123,586254,200
2821A11428 September 1966AdamsAdams' first time aloft.
2831A1154 October 1966Adams
28417316911636 October 1966Adams3.001,97775,400Adams' first free flight.
2852A877 October 1966Knight
2862A8819 October 1966Knight
2871743568331 November 1966Dana5.463,750306,900U.S. spaceflight.
2883A8418 November 1966Dana
28917525089818 November 1966Knight6.334,25098,900Second fastest flight
2903A8523 November 1966Adams
29117635786329 November 1966Adams4.653,12092,100
2922C9022 December 1966Knight
2931A11715 March 1967Adams
2941A11821 March 1967Adams
295177170119322 March 1967Adams5.593,822133,100
2961A12020 April 1967Adams
29717835887826 April 1967Dana1.801,16353,400
298179171121328 April 1967Adams5.443,720167,200
2992A915 May 1967Knight
3001802519288 May 1967Knight4.753,19397,600
3013A8812 May 1967Dana
30218135989317 May 1967Dana4.803,17771,100
3031A12226 May 1967Adams
3041A1231 June 1967Adams
3051A12414 June 1967Adams
306182172125315 June 1967Adams5.143,606229,300
30718336090822 June 1967Dana5.343,61182,200
308184173126829 June 1967Knight4.232,870173,000
30918536191820 July 1967Dana5.443,69384,300
3102C937 August 1967Knight
3112A9411 August 1967Knight
3122A9516 August 1967Knight
31318625296821 August 1967Knight4.943,36891,000
31418736292325 August 1967Adams4.633,11584,400
3153A9322 September 1967Dana
316 188 2539783 October 1967Knight6.704,520102,100Highest Mach and speed records of program. The X-15A-2's last free flight. Craft retired after setting records.
3171893639434 October 1967Dana5.533,897251,100
31819036495817 October 1967Knight5.533,856280,500U.S. spaceflight.
3193A9631 October 1967Adams
320 191 36597815 November 1967Adams5.203,570266,000U.S. spaceflight. The X-15-3's last free flight. Adams' last free flight. Fatal disaster.
3211C1276 February 1968Dana
3221A1287 February 1968Dana
3231A12927 February 1968Dana
32419217413081 March 1968Dana4.362,878104,500
3251A13128 March 1968Dana
3261A1323 April 1968Dana
32719317513384 April 1968Dana5.273,610187,500
328194176134826 April 1968Knight5.053,545209,600
3291A13523 May 1968Dana
330195177136812 June 1968Dana5.153,563220,100
3311A13715 July 1968Knight
332196178138316 July 1968Knight4.793,382221,500
333197179139321 August 1968Dana5.013,443267,500U.S. spaceflight.
334198180140313 September 1968Knight5.373,723254,100Knight's last free flight.
335199181141324 October 1968Dana5.383,716255,000The X-15-1's last free flight. Dana's last free flight. Last free flight of program.
3361A14212 December 1968KnightThe X-15-1's last time aloft. Knight's last time aloft. Last time aloft of program.

See also

Notes

  1. All data presented in this article's primary table are taken directly from Evans, including information about the captive and aborted flights. Evans does not provide carrier, Mach, velocity or altitude data for the captive and aborted flights, and these fields are therefore left blank. Jenkins (2000, Appendix 9) provides a subset of the data given by Evans, for the free flights only. In almost all cases, the two data sets match exactly. However, there are some minor discrepancies. For free flights 18, 73, 127, 128, 130, 131, 160, 190 and 191, Jenkins reports maximum velocities of 2,195, 3,716, 3,539, 3,702, 3,657, 3,260, 3,661, 3,869 and 3,617 miles per hour, respectively. Jenkins also reports maximum altitudes of 100,200 and 92,000 feet, and a maximum Mach of 4.17 for free flights 170, 176 and 184, respectively.
  2. This summary table combines all captive and aborted flights into single entries, and makes no distinction between the X-15-2 and the X-15A-2.
  3. See Jenkins [10] for this letter. Also note that the letter gives a partial listing of the first several program flights, including aborts and captive carries, which agree with Evans and this article's table.
  4. Further, the grand totals of program flights are encoded in the designations of each X-15's final flight. The X-15A-2 was retired and never taken aloft again after setting the program's speed records on free flight 2-53-97 (or flight 188). Shortly thereafter, the X-15-3 was destroyed on its final free flight, 3-65-97 (or flight 191), killing pilot Michael Adams. The X-15-1 remained in service until 1968, performing final free flight 1-81-141 (or flight 199). However, the X-15-1 was taken aloft one last time on aborted flight 1-A-142, in one of several failed efforts to make a 200th and final free flight in the program. The sum of the final free flight numbers' second parts, 53, 65 and 81, return the 199 overall free flights of the program. The sum of the three final flights' third parts, 97, 97 and 142, return the grand total 336 flights of the program. Subtracting the former from the latter gives 137, the total aborted and captive flights.
  5. This column sorts notable flights in a hierarchical ordering of attributes. First, the two flights above 100 km, denoted "FAI spaceflight", are listed (by altitude). Second, the eleven flights between 50 mi and 100 km, denoted "U.S. spaceflight" are listed (chronologically). Third, the flight setting the program's Mach and speed records is listed. Fourth, each plane's first and last times aloft or in flight are listed (sequentially, then chronologically). Fifth, each pilot's first and last times aloft or in flight are listed (alphabetically, then chronologically). Finally, general comments are made in some cases. If a flight has more than one attribute, it is sorted with its attribute of highest precedence, as in the above ordering.

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References

  1. Evans, Michelle (2013). "The X-15 Rocket Plane: Flying the First Wings Into Space-Flight Log" (PDF). Mach 25 Media.
  2. Jenkins, Dennis R. (June 2000). "Hypersonics Before the Shuttle: a Concise History of the X-15 Research Airplane" (PDF). Monographs in Aerospace History (18). NASA. pp. 118–121. Appendix 9, X-15 Program Flight Log.
  3. Jenkins, Dennis R. (2010). X-15: Extending The Frontiers of Flight. NASA. ISBN   978-1-4700-2585-4.
  4. Jenkins (2000), Appendix 8, p. 117.
  5. Johnsen, Frederick A. (23 August 2005). "X-15 Pioneers Honored as Astronauts". NASA.
  6. Pearlman, Robert Z. (23 August 2005). "Former NASA X-15 Pilots Awarded Astronaut Wings". space.com.
  7. Evans, pp. 13–14.
  8. Evans, p. 13.
  9. Evans, p. 26. Aborted flight 2-A-38, 25 April 1962.
  10. Jenkins (2000), Appendix 6, p. 115.
  11. Evans, p. 30.
  12. Jenkins (2000), pp. 57–59.

Further reading