Scrapbook 2: Jul 1962 — X-15
White Joins the Astronauts
X15 Climbs to 58 Miles
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — U.S. X15 pilot Robert M. White flashed a record 58 miles into space to become the first to qualify as an astronaut in a winged craft.
White surpassed the rocket research plane’s old altitude mark by about 12 miles.
“This is a fantastic view,” he radioed exultantly as he floated weightless at peak altitude. “This is absolutely. . . .”
At that point, interference blotted out his words.
His feat makes him the fifth American entitled to wear the wings of an astronaut, which go to those who vault 50 miles or more above the earth. The others, who qualified with flights in Mercury space capsules, are Alan Shepard, Virgil Grissom, John Glenn Jr. and Scott Carpenter.
White’s altitude was given officially as 310,000 feet. This compares with 246,700 feet achieved earlier by both White and test pilot Joseph M. Walker in flights aimed at reaching the X15’s designed maximum altitude of 250,000 feet.
White’s target altitude was 282,000 feet, and he substantially exceeded it because his speed was 284 miles an hour faster than planned.
Future flights are expected to reach still higher, 75 miles or more.
The 38-year-old test pilot hit 3,784 m.p.h. during his climb. The X15 speed record is 4,159 m.p.h.
Another of the space agency’s X15s — this one experimenting with methods of descent—streaked aloft at more than five times the speed of sound. (See story on Page 3.)
Washington Honors
Later White flew into Washington for a White House ceremony at which he and three fellow X15 pilots were to be honored for outstanding achievements in aviation.
At the White House President Kennedy was to present the Robert J. Collier Trophy for the outstanding aviation achievement of 1961 to the X15 test pilots.
White, his wife, and X15 pilot Joseph A. Walker of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration flew to Washington from here.
The other test pilots to be honored at Wednesday’s ceremony were Navy Cmdr Forrest Petersen and A. Scott Crossfield of North American Aviation Co.
A U.S. Air Force pilot flew an X 15 rocket plane to a new record height of more than 58 miles today.
And he became the first man to win astronaut’s wings for winged flight.
The pilot, Major Robert White, smashed his target of 282,000ft. by 28,000ft. The reason: His speed of 3,784 m.p.h. was 284 m.p.h. faster than planned.
When he landed he said it was a “remarkable, wonderful flight.”
“I could see more clearly than ever before the distinct curvature of the earth’s urface. The sky was a deep, dark blue and I could see the light area along the horizon very well.”
Floating paper
He also said he had seen an object which looked like a floating piece of paper at his peak altitude.
[U.S. spaceman John Glenn said he saw objects resembling “fireflies” on his space flight and Russia’s Major Titov reported seeing specks resembling snowflakes during his orbits.]
The new record was given officially as 310,000ft. The old record was 246,700ft., set up by Major White and test pilot Joe Walker.
Before the flight by Major White only four U.S. astronauts had won the wings for exceeding an altitude of 50 miles in wingless space rockets.
MAJOR ROBERT WHITE of the United States Air Force flew an X-15 rocket plane to-day to a world-record height of 58 miles, which is more than the distance from London to Cambridge. He became the first pilot of a winged plane to qualify as an astronaut.
To-day’s height, which was officially given as 310,000ft, is about 12 miles further than the previous record, 246,000ft. This was set up in both April and June this year.
Because any flight of 50 miles or higher qualifies the pilot as an astronaut, Major White will be the fifth American entitled to wear the “space wings.” The others are astronauts Cdr. Alan Shepard, Capt. Virgil Grissom, Lt.-Col. John Glenn and Lt.-Cdr. Scott Carpenter.
41deg. CLIMB
Steepest attempted
The X-15 was dropped from a B-52 bomber high over Delemar, Nevada. Major White held the 57,000lb-thrust engine fully open for 80sec and went into a 41deg. climb, the steepest yet attempted by the plane.
He substantially exceeded his target height of 282,000ft because his speed during the climb was 280 m.p.h faster than planned. On levelling out at the top he experienced weightlessness for three minutes.
During descent to Edwards Air Force base, California, he put the plane through tests as it re-entered the earth’s atmosphere. These involved lifting its nose and falling “spread-eagle” style to slow the descent.
Object in space
Major White reported seeing a strange object, like a piece of paper, adrift in space at the top of his climb. “I have no idea what it could be. It was greyish in colour and about 30 to 40ft away.” —AP.
7 USAREUR Battalions to Use Missile Range in British Isles
WASHINGTON (Special) — The Defense Department and the British War Office in London announced Friday that arrangements have been made for use of a British missile range in the Hebrides Islands, off the west coast of Scotland, by seven USAREUR Corporal missile battalions.
The agreement was made in accordance with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization principle that a NATO country should make available to other NATO countries, if possible, an extra capacity on its firing ranges.
Expanded Program
Last summer, one U.S. Army Corporal unit used the Hebrides range for its practice firing. The success of that firing was instrumental in the expanded program this year.
From June through August, seven Corporal battalions of USAREUR’s 7th Army and Southern European Task Force (SETAF) will move to the Hebrides range one at a time for their annual service practice.
Besides lending its firing range to the American units, the British Army will also provide certain equipment and support personnel.
Annual practice missile firing is a routine training requirement. Until the Hebrides range was made available by the British, American missile units were required to return to the United States for the firing.
Use of the Hebrides range will save time and money, provide an excellent training exercise for support personnel and permit firing under European climatic conditions, American officials said.