X-15 Flight 35

Flight 35 of the North American X-15 was a test flight conducted by NASA and the US Air Force on March 30, 1961.[1] The X-15 was piloted by Joseph A. Walker to an altitude of 169,600 feet (51.7 km; 32.12 mi) surpassing the stratopause.[2] Thus Walker became the first human to reach the mesosphere.[3] This human altitude record lasted about two weeks, until Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space on Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961.[4] Joe Walker would later pilot the X-15 into space. The flight landed at Edwards Air Force Base.

Flight 35
Mission typeTest flight
OperatorUSAF/NASA
Apogee169,600 feet (51.7 km; 32.12 mi)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftX-15
ManufacturerNorth American
Crew
Crew size1
MembersJoseph A. Walker
Start of mission
Launch dateMarch 30, 1961 (1961-03-30Z) UTC
End of mission
Landing dateMarch 30, 1961 (1961-03-31Z) UTC
Landing siteRogers Dry Lake, Edwards
 

References
  1. "X-15 Flight Log". Proceedings of the X-15 First Flight 30th Anniversary Celebration (PDF) (Technical report). Edwards, California: NASA. June 8, 1989. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  2. McDowell, Jonathan (1994). "The X-15 Spaceplane" (PDF). Quest. Vol. 3, no. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  3. McDowell, Jonathan. "Jonathan McDowell's Additions to English". Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  4. Kumpa, Peter J. (April 13, 1961). "Cosmonaut is landed in good shape". The Baltimore Sun. Vol. 248, no. 126. p. 1. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.

Notes


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