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 X-plane …

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 aspects of …

Feb 13, 2025 · Preserving History at Hypersonic Speeds: A Close-Up Look at the North American X-15. The North American X-15 is a true marvel of aviation history –a pioneering hypersonic research …

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 the world’s …

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.

2 days ago · Information and pictures on the aircraft, X-15.

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 developed in …

Apr 22, 2025 · Between 1959 and 1968, the X-15 not only shattered speed and altitude records but also laid the groundwork for the technologies used in the Space Shuttle, Saturn V, and modern …

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 powered flight …

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 …