The X-15 experimental aircraft achieved its first hypersonic flight on June 23, 1961, soaring at speeds over five times the speed of sound. Later, the X-43A reached about 7,000 mph using innovative engines that harnessed atmospheric oxygen. For nearly eight decades, NASA Armstrong has been at the forefront of high-speed research, achieving these and many other milestones. Today, our engineers are developing technologies to make space access safer and more affordable, and to bring routine commerc