X-15 Technical Data

SPECIFICATION

The X-15 was rocket-powered research aircraft.

The X-15 was air launched from a B-52 aircraft.

It had no landing gear, but landed on skis. It had reaction controls for attitude control in space.

X-15 is composed of an internal structure of titanium and a skin surface of a chrome-nickel alloy known as Inconel X.

Development

The development of the X-15 began in 1954, in a joint research program sponsored by the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics - now NASA), the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and private industry. North American was selected as prime contractor on the project following a competition in which Bell, Douglas, and Republic competed.

Other configurations include the Reaction Motors XLR11 equipped X-15, and the long version.

X-15 3-view

General characteristics

Crew: one
Length: 50 ft 9 in (15.45 m)
Wingspan: 22 ft 4 in (6.8 m)
Height: 13 ft 6 in (4.12 m)
Wing area: 200 ft2 (18.6 m2)
Empty weight: 14,600 lb (6,620 kg)
Loaded weight: 34,000 lb (15,420 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 34,000 lb (15,420 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Thiokol XLR99-RM-2 liquid-fuel rocket engine, 70,400 lbf at 30 km (313 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 6.72 (4,520 mph, 7,274 km/h)
Range: 280 mi (450 km)
Service ceiling: 67 mi (108 km, 354,330 ft)
Rate of climb: 60,000 ft/min (18,288 m/min)
Wing loading: 170 lb/ft2 (829 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 2.07

Wingspan: 6.82 m
Length: 15.47 m
Height: 3.96 m
Weight: 5,670 kg empty
Powerplant: Reaction Motors XLR-99 rocket engine. Manufactured by Thiokol Chemical Corp

The X-15 had its first unpowered glide flight on June 8, 1959. The first powered flight took place on September 17, 1959. The final flight of the X-15 was performed on October 24, 1968. The rocket plane set many first speed records in the Mach 4-6 range. These included:

Mach 4.43 on March 7, 1961
Mach 5.27 on June 23, 1961
Mach 6.04 on November 9, 1961
Mach 6.7 on October 3, 1967.
It also set an altitude record of 354,200 feet (67 miles) on August 22, 1963. Data was used to study hypersonic air flow, aerodynamic heating, control and stability at hypersonic speeds.

Five X-15 research aircraft were built and flown:

1. X-15-1 (serial number 56-6670) is located at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC.

2. X-15A-2 (serial number 56-6671) is at the United States Air Force Museum, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. It was the fastest X-15 flown.

3. X-15-3 (serial number 56-6672) crashed on 15 November 1967 during atmospheric re-entry, resulting in the death of Michael J. Adams. Parts of the X-15-3 are on display at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum at Edwards AFB and the San Diego Aerospace Museum, San Diego, California. The experimental rocket plane featured an advanced cockpit display panel and a special adaptive control system.

4. NB-52A - (Serial number 52-003 (retired in October 1969)

5. NB-52B - (Serial number 52-008 (retired in November 2004)