By the time of the apollo 11 moon landing, thirtyone american astronauts had flown into spaceeight of them astronautpilots of the x15. Beyond the x15 are the stories of the 12 men who guided it into space, and all the people. This remarkable research aircraft held the worlds altitude record for 41 years, and still has no equal to match or better its speed of more than 4,500 mph. The book is a joy to read and to learn of the nine years the x15 flew, usually for about 10 minutes and covering no more than 300 miles during each flight. In x15, the exciting story of the x15 the iconic rocket plane of the cold war space race is recounted by john anderson, curator of aerodynamics at the smithsonian national air and space museum. John carver edwards, book verdict john carver edwards book verdict engle and armstrong devotees wont be disappointed with the stories about their heroes in this tome. In the early 1980s, i remember watching a fascinating documentary, the rocket pilots. Amazingly, the average flight had the x15 flying under power for 90 seconds, then following a ballistic trajectory, then once again flying but.
The x15 rocket plane, flying the first wings into space. John carver edwards, book verdict john carver edwards book verdict 20615. The enthralling yet littleknown story of the hypersonic x15, the winged rocket ship that met this challenge and opened the way into human controlled spaceflight. This book puts a human face on the feats of science and engineering that went into the x 15 program, many of them critical to the development of the space shuttle. Joe walker took the x15 up for another shot at a new altitude record on april 30, 1962.
Wtbfamfm book bit the x15 rocket plane is an engaging account of americas push into space before pilots became astronauts, and america began a new era of exploration beyond the earth to the moon. A rocketpowered aircraft or rocket plane is an aircraft that uses a rocket engine for propulsion, sometimes in addition to airbreathing jet engines. With the soviet unions launch of the first sputnik satellite. Lecture and book signing with author michelle evans author michelle evans talks about her new book, the x15 rocket plane. The x15 rocket plane is an engaging account of americas push into space before pilots became astronauts, and america began a new era of exploration beyond the earth to the moon.
Divin x15, the exciting story of the x15the iconic rocket plane of the cold war space raceis recounted by john anderson. The north american x15a2 was moved from the restoration hangar to the museums new fourth building on oct. X15 rocket plane pilots flight operati by periscope film. While the primary focus is on the pilots, evans succeeded in getting a truly wide array. The x15 completed 199 missions between 1959 and 1968. Drawing on interviews with with the soviet unions launch of the first sputnik satellite in 1957, the cold war soared to new heights as americans feared. Most thorough and honest book on x15 youll find if you have any sort of substantial interest in the x15 youll want to read this excellent book on the program. It dovetails nicely with milton thompsons, at the edge of space. The x15 rocket plane tells the enthralling yet littleknown story of the hypersonic x15. The north american x15 was a hypersonic rocketpowered aircraft operated by the united states air force and the national aeronautics and space administration as part of the xplane series of experimental aircraft. The x15 rocket plane restores these pioneers, and the others who made it happen, to their rightful place in the history of spaceflight. Up until today the x15 hold speed and altitude records for airplanes. This experimental space plane was on the cutting edge of hypersonic aerodynamics, and its winged reentry from space foreshadowed the development of the space.
The worlds fastest rocket plane and the pilots who ushered. This experimental space plane was on the cutting edge of hypersonic aerodynamics, and its winged reentry from space foreshadowed the development of the space shuttle decades later. Nasa continues to stay ahead of the government pack. The x15 rocket plane cancelled hiller aviation museum. By the time of the apollo 11 moon landing, 31 american astronauts had flown into space eight of them astronautpilots of the x15.
And, finally, it introduces us to the largely unsung pilots of the x 15. A peoples history of spaceflight series, edited by colin burgess. The x15 was the first winged rocket ship to take astronauts into space and back again. X15 rocket aircraft x15 research results, with a selected bibliography, by wendell h.
Fastest aircraft in the world x15 rocket jet flight. With the soviet unions launch of the first sputnik satellite in 1957, the cold war soared to new heights as americans feared losing the race into space. Nasa releases first free ebook, on history of x15 rocket. Nasa releases first free e book, on history of x15 rocket plane in addition to its many popular twitter streams, iphone apps and opportunities for citizens to participate in scientific programs. Nasa releases first free ebook, on history of x15 rocket plane. Michelle evans is the president of mach 25 media and author of the x15 rocket plane. This book puts a human face on the feats of science and engineering that went into the x15 program, many of them critical to the development of the space shuttle. Pdf the x 15 rocket plane download full pdf book download. Anthony young is the author of the saturn v f1 engine. It has a foreword by joe engle, perhaps one of the most famous x15 pilots other than the late first man, neil armstrong.
The worlds fastest rocket plane and the pilots who ushered in the space age. A concise history of the x15 research airplane 2000, by dennis r. Rocket planes can achieve much higher speeds than similarly sized jet aircraft, but typically for at most a few minutes of powered operation, followed by a gliding flight. The worlds fastest rocket plane and the pilots who. North american x15a2 national museum of the united. The x15 rocket plane tells the enthralling yet littleknown story of the hypersonic x15, the winged rocket ship that met this challenge and opened the way into humancontrolled spaceflight. Michelle evans is the founder and president of mach 25 media. North american x15 rocket plane was an experimental aircraft project.
The north american x 15 was a hypersoni c rocke t powered aircraft operated by the united states air force and the national aeronautics and space administration as part of th e x pl ane series of experimental aircraft. Jenkins pdf at nasa items below if any are from related and broader terms. The x 15 rocket plane tells the enthralling yet littleknown story of the hypersonic x 15. She has written the bestselling book the x15 rocket plane, flying the first wings into space which was published by the university. The men who flew this amazing plane became the usafs first astronauts. It was the first aircraft to attain velocities of mach 4, 5 and 6. The x15 rocket plane is featured on page 15 of the university of nebraska press springsummer 20 catalog. The x15 rocket plane tells the story of the hypersonic x15, the. The fastest aircraft in the world x15 rocket jet flight 4,500 mph space plane special offers. It covered the history of the x1, x2, and, most of all, the x 15. The x15 rocket plane tells the enthralling yet littleknown story of the hypersonic x15 that met the cold war challenge and opened the way to human space flight.
This book is the story not only of the test pilots, but the engineers, technicians, and managers at north american aviation, which was the prime. Wilma s ross the x15 was a high speed airplane that paved the way to outer space. Her book captures the drama and excitement of the program behind the plane that was flown into space 15 years before the shuttle. Interestingly for a cold war program, the x15 and its flights were unclassified. Unhindered by the need for oxygen from the atmosphere, they are. This is the latest entry in a series that emphasizes personalities over technology and nationalism. Evans founder, mach 25 media covers this rocketpowered. Michelle evans has written the definitive book on the x15, the men who flew. Michelle evans presentation will focus on this remarkable research aircraft that held the worlds altitude record for 41 years, and still has no equal to match its speed of mach 6. John carver edwards, book verdict long before the space shuttle, the united states was flying astronauts with the courage of lions into space aboard wings of steel. It was designed in the mid1950s, at a time when, to the public, rocket ships meant gleaming silver stilettos with sweptback fins, filled with astronauts in bubbleheaded spacesuits, doing battle against aliens bent on the overthrow and subjugation or annihilation of earth. The x15 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 flight started as usual with the x15 dropped from its b52 mother plane at 45,000 feet above mud lake, nevada. The knowledge gained from the x15 was vital for the design of the gemini and the apollo missions, but most importantly for the later space shuttle.
Flying the first wings into space by michelle evans university of nebraska press, 20 hardcover, 450 pages, illus. Flying the first wings into space by michelle evans. The x15 rocket plane was a research spacecraft that made 199 flights over the course of nearly a decade between the late 1950s and the late 1960s. Flying the first wings into space by michelle evans is the latest addition to the university of nebraskas outward odyssey. The x 15 rocket plane was a research spacecraft that made 199 flights over the course of nearly a decade between the late 1950s and the late 1960s. This book offers a very thorough history of the x15 program. Publishes books and journals especially in american history, the american west, and native american studies. The authors succeed in explaining the technical details in a way that even a lay reader can. Flying the first wings into space, is an extraordinarily fine account of the x15 hypersonic research program and the individuals involved. Therefore to anyone who has a previous release of the next 15 book this is a very. John carver edwards, book verdict engle and armstrong devotees wont be disappointed with the stories about their heroes in this tome. The x15 became the first aircraft to be moved into the fourth building, where it will be part of the expanded space gallery.