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Type: Air Drop Zone. Latitude: 35.39000 deg. Longitude: -115.92500 deg.

Air-launched rocket drop zone known to have been used for 14 launches from 1960 to 1967, reaching up to 41 kilometers altitude.


Launch Pads
  • RW15/33 - Latitude: 35.3300 deg. Longitude: -116.1000 deg.

General / Launch Complex Unknown Chronology

1960 May 12 - 16:47 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-7-12 X-15A test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 3397 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23738 m.

1960 May 19 - 16:46 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-8-13 X-15A Alt Buildup test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 33 km (20 mi). Maximum Speed - 2558 kph. Maximum Altitude - 33222 m.

1960 August 4 - 16:59 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-9-17 X-15A test Agency: NASA/USAF. 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.

1960 August 12 - 16:48 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-10-19 X-15A High Alt test Agency: NASA/USAF. 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.

1960 August 19 - 16:34 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-11-21 X-15A test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 3510 kph. Maximum Altitude - 24343 m.

1960 September 10 - 19:45 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-12-23 X-15A Stability/Control test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 24 km (14 mi). X-15 Flight 21 (Stability/Control)

1961 February 7 - 20:56 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-21-36 X-15A Stab./Control test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 3660 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23820 m. Last XLR-11 flight.

1961 March 7 - 18:28 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 2-13-26 X-15A Mach 4 flight test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 4674 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23610 m.

1961 August 10 - 18:27 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-22-37 X-15A XLR-99, beta-dot test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Maximum Speed - 4401 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23830 m. Lost cabin pressure.

1961 October 3 - 18:40 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 1-23-39 X-15A VO Stability test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 23 km (14 mi). Flight made with lower ventral off. Maximum Speed - 4553 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23770 m.

1961 December 20 - 22:45 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 3-1-2 X-15A MH-96 test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 24 km (14 mi). First flight for X-15 # 3. Maximum Speed - 4026 kph. Maximum Altitude - 24700 m.

1964 May 21 - 17:39 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 3-29-48 FAILURE: Emergency landing at Cuddleback Lake. X-15A SUV/BLN test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 19 km (11 mi). Premature engine shutdown at 41 sec. Maximum Speed - 3001 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19568 m.

1967 April 26 - 19:20 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 3-58-87 FAILURE: Emergency landing at Silver Lake. X-15A Telem/HT/Guidance test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 16 km (9 mi). Maximum Speed - 1871 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16280 m.

1967 May 17 - 17:45 GMT - Launch Vehicle: X-15. X-15 3-59-89 FAILURE: Severe tail oscillations. X-15A Telem/HT/Guidance test Agency: NASA/USAF. Apogee: 21 km (13 mi). Maximum Speed - 5112 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21670 m.


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