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Silver Lake DZ

Site · USA

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

Air-launched rocket drop zone. RW15/33 used for emergency landings.

Country
USA
Launch Vehicles
X-15
Launch Sites
Silver Lake DZ

Chronology

14 events

1960 May 12

16:47 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003.
  • X-15A test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 3397 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23738 m. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1960 May 19

16:46 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003.
  • X-15A Alt Buildup test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 33 km (20 mi). Maximum Speed - 2558 kph. Maximum Altitude - 33222 m. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1960 August 4

16:59 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003.
  • X-15A test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 3533 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23809 m. Unofficial world speed record. This topped Captain Apt's speed of 2,094 mph attained in the X-2 on September 27, 1956. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1960 August 12

16:48 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003.
  • X-15A High Alt test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 41 km (25 mi).

    Maximum Speed - 2851 kph. Maximum Altitude - 41605 m. Established a new altitude record for a manned vehicle of 136,500 feet. This topped Captain Kincheloe's record altitude of 126,200 feet attained on September 7, 1956, in the X-2 rocket research aircraft. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ.

1960 August 19

16:34 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003.
  • X-15A test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 3510 kph. Maximum Altitude - 24343 m. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1960 September 10

19:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 008.
  • X-15A Stability/Control test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 24 km (14 mi). X-15 Flight 21 (Stability/Control) Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1961 February 7

20:56 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 008.
  • X-15A Stab./Control test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 3660 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23820 m. Last XLR-11 flight. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1961 March 7

18:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 008.
  • X-15A Mach 4 flight test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 4674 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23610 m. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1961 August 10

18:27 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003.
  • X-15A XLR-99, beta-dot test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 4401 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23830 m. Lost cabin pressure. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1961 October 3

18:40 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003.
  • X-15A VO Stability test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Flight made with lower ventral off. Maximum Speed - 4553 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23770 m. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1961 December 20

22:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003.
  • X-15A MH-96 test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 24 km (14 mi). First flight for X-15 # 3. Maximum Speed - 4026 kph. Maximum Altitude - 24700 m. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1964 May 21

17:39 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003. FAILURE: Emergency landing at Cuddleback Lake..
  • X-15A SUV/BLN test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 19 km (11 mi). Premature engine shutdown at 41 sec. Maximum Speed - 3001 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19568 m. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1967 April 26

19:20 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 008. FAILURE: Emergency landing at Silver Lake..
  • X-15A Telem/HT/Guidance test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 16 km (9 mi). Maximum Speed - 1871 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16280 m. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..

1967 May 17

17:45 GMT - . Launch Site: Edwards. Launch Complex: Silver Lake DZ. Launch Pad: Edwards RW04/22. Launch Platform: NB-52 003. FAILURE: Severe tail oscillations..
  • X-15A Telem/HT/Guidance test - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA, USAF. Spacecraft: X-15A. Apogee: 21 km (13 mi). Maximum Speed - 5112 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21670 m. Air dropped in Silver Lake DZ..