{"id":12332,"date":"2010-03-19T12:17:00","date_gmt":"2010-03-19T12:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/euvolution.com\/futurist-transhuman-news-blog\/x-15-pilot-robert-white-dies\/"},"modified":"2010-03-19T12:17:00","modified_gmt":"2010-03-19T12:17:00","slug":"x-15-pilot-robert-white-dies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/futurist-transhuman-news-blog\/space-station\/x-15-pilot-robert-white-dies.php","title":{"rendered":"X-15 Pilot Robert White Dies"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"X-15<\/a>On July 17, 1962, Major Robert White flew the X-15<\/span> to an altitude of 314,750 feet, or 59 miles, becoming the first \"winged astronaut.\" He was the first to fly at Mach 4, Mach 5 and Mach 6; he was the first to fly a winged vehicle into space. After a career of 'firsts' White died on March 17, 2010.

White was one of the initial pilots selected for the X-15 program, representing the Air Force in the joint program with NASA<\/span><\/a>, the Navy, and North American Aviation. Between April 13, 1960, and Dec. 14, 1962, he made 16 flights in the rocket-powered aircraft.<\/p>

His July 17, 1962, flight to an altitude of 314,750 feet set a world record. This was 59.6 miles, significantly higher than the 50 miles the Air Force accepted as the beginning of space, qualifying White for astronaut wings. The X-15 rocket-powered aircraft were built by North American Aviation and developed to provide in-flight information and data on aerodynamics, structures, flight controls and the physiological aspects of high-speed, high-altitude flight.<\/p>

A follow-on program used the aircraft <\/span>as testbeds to carry various scientific experiments beyond the Earth's atmosphere on a repeated basis. Information gained from the highly successful X-15 program<\/span> contributed to the development of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo manned spaceflight programs, and also the space shuttle program. The X-15s made a total of 199 flights and the first aircraft X-15-1, serial number 56-6670, is now located at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.<\/p>

According to an article by Al Hallonquist<\/span>, White's achievements as an X-15 pilot \"allowed him to become the fifth American to attain astronaut wings and only the second Air Force pilot to do this.\"<\/p>

White retired from the Air Force as a Major General.<\/p>

View my blog's last three great articles... <\/span><\/p><\/span><\/div>