Program archive

X-15

Across 199 flights, the X-15 joined pilots, rocket propulsion, pressure suits, reaction controls, hypersonic aerodynamics, and unpowered landings into the most ambitious research-aircraft program of its era. Thirteen flights crossed the United States 50-mile space threshold.

Missions: 13
People: 8
Vehicles: 1

Explore this program

Choose a path through the X-15 archive.

Currently viewing · Timeline

X-15 timeline

13 flights. One complete program record.

Follow every archived flight from the earliest development test through the program’s latest flown mission, with its defining milestones and mission hardware connected along the way.

Defining milestones

The turning points that shaped this program and its legacy.

Every X-15 program record

All 13 flown and non-flight archive records arranged chronologically.

Launch corridor

13 flights and tests compressed into 1 expandable arc.

Arc 01Ignition1962–1968 · 13 records

Flight arc 01IgnitionX-15 Flight 62 → X-15 Flight 1971962–1968 · 13 records1962–1968
13 records