A history of the X-15 program

Abstract

The present historical account of the X-15 hypersonic research aircraft development program, which began in 1952 with the determination by NACA's Committee on Aeronautics to attempt speeds of Mach 10-12 and altitudes of 12-50 miles. While the technical proposal adopted by the program in 1954 reduced speed requirements to Mach 6.6, representing the state-of-the-art capability in high temperature structures, the X-15 would ultimately reach a speed of Mach 6.7. The structural material employed was Inconel X, an Ni-Cr alloy slightly heavier than steel. The X-15 program studied problems in exoatmospheric flight control, structural heating, control in weightlessness, and atmospheric reentry. The last flights were conducted in 1968.