North American X-15 – Photos & Videos

The North American X-15 was a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as part of the X-plane series of experimental aircraft. The X-15 set speed and altitude records in the 1960s, reaching the edge of outer space and returning with valuable data used in aircraft and spacecraft design. The X-15’s official world record for the highest speed ever recorded by a manned, powered aircraft, set in October 1967 when William J. Knight flew Mach 6.72 at 102,100 feet (31,120 m), a speed of 4,520 miles per hour (7,274 km/h; 2,021 m/s), has remained unbroken as of January 2019.

Source: North American X-15 on Wikipedia

The North American X-15 was a rocket-powered aircraft that flew at the edge of space in the 1950s and 1960s. It was designed to explore the effects of high speed and altitude on aircraft performance and human physiology. The X-15 set several records for speed and altitude, reaching a maximum speed of over 4,500 miles per hour (7,270 kilometers per hour) and a maximum altitude of over 350,000 feet (107 kilometers).
The X-15 also contributed to the development of the space shuttle and other spacecraft by providing valuable data on aerodynamics, heating, control, and stability in the hypersonic regime. The X-15 program involved three aircraft and 12 pilots who flew a total of 199 flights between 1959 and 1968. The X-15 was launched from a modified B-52 bomber and landed on a dry lakebed or runway. The X-15 was one of the most successful and influential experimental aircraft in history.