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JULY 19, 1963 - TODAY IN AVIATION HISTORY

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Joseph Albert Walker, the chief research test pilot for NASA, flew 25 times in the North American Aviation X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes between 1960 and 1963. His 24th flight was the 90th of the X-15 program and the 21st for the Number 3 X-15, 56-6672.

Walker and the X-15 were airdropped over Smith Ranch Dry Lake in Nevada at 10:20:05.0 a.m. from the Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress, 53-008, Balls 8. Walker ignited the Reaction Motors XLR99-RM-1 rocket engine, and the X-15 was propelled upward by its 60,000 pounds of thrust for 84.6 seconds. Walker's ascent angle was too high, the engine's thrust was more than anticipated, and the engine shut down 1.6 seconds later than planned, all of which caused the X-15 to exceed its intended maximum altitude and reach a peak ballistic arc of 347,800 feet. The top speed was 5.50 Mach.

Walker completed a flight distance of 311 miles in 11 minutes, 24.1 seconds before gliding to a touch down at Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Joe Walker made history by becoming the first American civilian to fly into space on this voyage.

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