AERONAUTICS - Lot 414

AERONAUTICS Photo of the crash of a North American X-15 rocket plane: this experimental aircraft made 200 test flights for NASA and the US Air Force in the 60's. The X-15 explored the flight envelope of future spacecraft up to Mach 8. On November 15, 1967, the pilot lost his life aboard his X-15 No. 3, which had become uncontrollable and subjected to excessive thrust. The plane disintegrated near Johannesburg, California. Astronaut Neil Armstrong made 7 flights aboard the X-15 between 1960 and 1962. He left the X-15 program when he was selected for NASA's 2nd astronaut group in September 1962. Original NASA black & white photo, size 20 x 25 cm, captioned on the back and numbered 67-H-1568.