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Type: Air Drop Zone. Latitude: 34.68000 deg. Longitude: -117.97000 deg.

Air-launched rocket drop zone known to have been used for 8 launches from 1960 to 1961, reaching up to 16 kilometers altitude.


General / Launch Complex Unknown Chronology

1960 September 23 - 17:52 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-13-25 FAILURE: Engines fail. X-15A test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 16 km (9 mi). Maximum Speed - 1783 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16168 m. Premature shutdown of both XLR-11's.

1960 October 20 - 17:30 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-14-27 X-15A Stability/Control test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 16 km (9 mi). Maximum Speed - 2059 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16398 m.

1960 October 28 - 17:43 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-15-28 X-15A Stability/Control test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 15 km (9 mi). Maximum Speed - 2145 kph. Maximum Altitude - 15453 m.

1960 November 4 - 20:43 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-16-29 X-15A Stability/Control test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 14 km (8 mi). Maximum Speed - 2071 kph. Maximum Altitude - 14905 m.

1960 November 17 - 20:43 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-17-30 X-15A test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 16 km (9 mi). Maximum Speed - 2018 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16688 m. Lower XLR-11 shutdown but restarted.

1960 November 30 - 18:42 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-18-31 X-15A test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 14 km (8 mi). Maximum Speed - 1858 kph. Maximum Altitude - 14886 m. Only 7 of 8 XLR-11 chambers ignited.

1960 December 9 - 19:52 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-19-32 X-15A Ball nose, Stabil. test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 15 km (9 mi). First hot nose flight. Maximum Speed - 1911 kph. Maximum Altitude - 15269 m.

1961 February 1 - 18:47 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-20-35 X-15A Ball/side controller test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 15 km (9 mi). Maximum Speed - 1949 kph. Maximum Altitude - 15170 m.


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© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.