X-15

The World's Fastest Rocket Plane and the Pilots Who Ushered in the Space Age

John Anderson, Richard Passman

• Editore: Zenith Press
• Anno: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781610589277
• Argomento: Tecnologia e ingegneria
• Categoria: Ingegneria aerospaziale

In X-15, the exciting story of the X-15 - 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. 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. Launched from the wing of a modified B-52 bomber - again foretelling a concept that would be used decades later, in this case by Space Ship One and Space Ship Two - the ship rocketed higher and faster than any manned aircraft of the time. Designed to approach seven times the speed of sound, it was the first hypersonic aircraft ever created and was engineered to function both in the Earth's atmosphere and at the edge of space. Illustrated with period NASA and USAF photographs, as well as exclusive Smithsonian photography of the first of three X-15s built, X-15 captures the risks and dangers of the X-15 program as Anderson follows the test pilots (including Neil Armstrong) who pushed the very limits of their piloting skills to master groundbreaking experimental technology. Even with the fatal crash of the third X-15, the overall success of the program helped pave the way for NASA to continue to the Moon - and this is the definitive, expertly curated, and beautifully illustrated account of its development.

INDEX

4th Allied Tactical Air Force, 92, 139

12th Tactical Fighter Wing, 99

36th Tactical Fighter Wing, 92

40th Fighter Squadron, 92

53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 92

438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 107

4950th Test Wing, 99

Aberdeen Proving Ground, 31

ablative coating, 46–47, 57, 104, 107, 132, 133

Adams, Michael J., 6, 63, 109–112, 116, 131, 137

aerodynamic advantages, 52–53

aerodynamic heating, 12–13, 16, 24, 39, 56, 104, 132

Aerojet, 62

Aerospace Research Pilot School, 102, 104, 112

AGM-65 Maverick missile, 99

air data inertial reference unit (ASIRU), 101

Air Force Flight Test Center, 99, 139

Air Force Museum, 107, 137

Air Force Systems Command, 99

Air Force Test and Evaluation Center, 99

Air Force Test Pilot School, 48, 69, 92, 102, 108

Air Medal, 90, 100

Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory, 90

Allavie, John, 75

Allen, H. Julian, 12

Allison Jet Trophy, 107

altitude records, 82, 91, 124, 139–140

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), 28, 88, 89, 95, 109

Ames Laboratory, 12

anhydrous ammonia, 19, 58, 59, 61, 71, 75

Apollo program, 13, 20, 104, 138

Apt, Milburn, 42

APU hydraulic line, 122

Armstrong, Johnny, 130

Armstrong, Neil A., 99–101, 105, 112–113, 116, 137–138

Arnold, Hap, 30

Astronaut Wings, ...

Indice dei contenuti

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• 00 Preface
• 01 Why the X-15?
• 02 The Advent of the Research Airplane
• 03 The X-15 Airplane and Its Engines
• 04 The Test Arena
• 05 The Pilots
• 06 The Flights
• 07 Afterword
• Index
• Copyright Page