Jan 22, 2014. It's official: The bill re-naming NASA's Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center in southern California for the first man to walk on the moon is now a law. President Barack Obama signed congressional resolution HR 667 into law on Jan. 16, renaming the flight facility the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research. NASA.gov brings you the latest images, videos and news from America's space agency. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our.

This article is about the experimental aircraft. For the Irish band, see. X-1 X-1 #46-062, nicknamed Glamorous Glennis.

Role National origin United States Manufacturer First flight 19 January 1946 Status Retired Primary users Number built 4 The Bell X-1 was a –powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint –– supersonic research project built. Conceived during 1944 and designed and built in 1945, it achieved a speed of nearly 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 km/h; 870 kn) in 1948. A derivative of this same design, the, having greater fuel capacity and hence longer rocket burning time, exceeded 1,600 miles per hour (2,600 km/h; 1,400 kn) in 1954. The X-1, piloted by, was the first manned to exceed the in level flight and was the first of the, a series of American experimental (and non-rocket planes) designated for testing of new technologies and often kept secret. XLR-11 rocket engine In 1942, the 's began a top secret project with to develop the world's first aircraft capable of breaking the sound barrier. The project resulted in the development of the prototype -powered, designed to reach 1,000 miles per hour (870 kn; 1,600 km/h) (over twice the existing ) in level flight, and to climb to an altitude of 36,000 ft (11 km) in 1 min 30 sec.

By 1944, design of the M.52 was 90% complete and Miles was told to go ahead with the construction of three prototypes. Later that year, the Air Ministry signed an agreement with the to exchange high-speed research and data. Miles' Chief Aerodynamicist Dennis Bancroft stated that was given access to the drawings and research on the M.52, but the U.S. Reneged on the agreement and no data was forthcoming in return.

Unknown to Miles, Bell had already started construction of a -powered supersonic design of their own, with a conventional horizontal tail. Bell was battling the problem of pitch control due to 'blanking' the. A tail appeared to be the most promising solution; the Miles and RAE tests supported this. Research studies [ ] Meanwhile, on 16 March 1945, the Flight Test Division and the (NACA) contracted with the Bell Aircraft Company to build three XS-1 (for 'Experimental, Supersonic', later X-1) aircraft to obtain flight data on conditions in the transonic speed range. The X-1 was, in principle, a 'bullet with wings', its shape closely resembling a (12.7 mm) bullet, known to be stable in supersonic flight.

The shape was followed to the extent of seating its pilot behind a sloped, framed window inside a confined cockpit in the nose, with no ejection seat. After the experienced problems during 1947, it was modified with a variable-incidence following technology transfer with the United Kingdom. American author has cast doubts on the British contribution to the X-1, countering the British view that the X-1 design benefitted from work on the M.52, and stating the X-1 was flying before the British handed over the M.52 data following its cancellation. Following conversion of the X-1's horizontal tail to (or 'all-flying'), verified it experimentally, and all subsequent supersonic aircraft would either have an all-moving tailplane or be 'tailless' types. The rocket engine was a four-chamber design built by, one of the first companies to build liquid-propellant rocket engines in the U.S. This rocket burned ethyl alcohol diluted with water with a.

Its thrust could be changed in 1,500 lbf (6,700 N) increments by using just additional chambers. The fuel and oxygen tanks for the first two X-1 engines were pressurized with, but the rest used gas-driven. The all-important fuel turbopumps were necessary to increase the chamber pressure and thrust while making the engine lighter. Operational history [ ] Bell Aircraft chief became the first person to fly the XS-1.

He made a glide-flight over, in, on 25 January 1946. Woolams completed nine more glide-flights over Pinecastle before March 1946, when the #1 rocket plane was returned to Bell Aircraft in, NY, for modifications to prepare for the powered flight tests. These were performed at near. After Woolams' death on 30 August 1946, was the primary Bell Aircraft test pilot for the X-1-1 (serial 46-062). He made 26 successful flights in both X-1s from September 1946 through June 1947. The Army Air Forces was unhappy with the cautious pace of flight envelope expansion and Bell Aircraft's flight test contract for airplane #46-062 was terminated. The test program was acquired by the Army Air Force Flight Test Division on 24 June after months of negotiation.

Goodlin had demanded a US$150,000 bonus for exceeding the speed of sound. Flight tests of the X-1-2 (serial 46-063) would be conducted by NACA to provide design data for later production high-performance aircraft. Mach 1 flight [ ]. Yeager exceeded on 14 October 1947 in the X-1. The three main participants in the X-1 program won the in 1948 for their efforts. Honored at the by were for Bell Aircraft, Captain Yeager for piloting the flights, and for the contributions of the NACA. The story of Yeager’s 14 October flight was leaked to a reporter from the magazine, and featured the story as headline news in their 22 December issue.

The magazine story was released on 20 December. The Air Force threatened legal action against the journalists who revealed the story, but none ever occurred. On 10 June 1948, announced that the sound barrier had been repeatedly broken by two experimental airplanes. On 5 January 1949, Yeager used Aircraft #46-062 to perform the only conventional (runway) launch of the X-1 program, attaining 23,000 ft (7,000 m) in 90 seconds. United States Postal Service stamp commemorates Bell X-1, the first plane to fly faster than the speed of sound The research techniques used for the X-1 program became the pattern for all subsequent X-craft projects. The X-1 project assisted the postwar cooperative union between U.S.

Military needs, industrial capabilities, and research facilities. The flight data collected by the NACA from the X-1 tests then proved invaluable to further US fighter design throughout the latter half of the 20th century. In 1997, the United States Postal Service issued a fiftieth anniversary commemorative stamp recognizing the Bell X1-6062 aircraft as the first aeronautical vehicle to fly at of approximately Mach 1.06 (1,298.55 km/h; 806.88 mph). Variants [ ] Later variants of the X-1 were built to test different aspects of supersonic flight; one of these, the X-1A, with Yeager at the controls, inadvertently demonstrated a very dangerous characteristic of fast (Mach 2 plus) supersonic flight:.

Only Yeager's skills as an aviator prevented disaster; later would lose his life testing the under similar circumstances. Ordered by the Air Force on 2 April 1948, the X-1A (serial 48-1384) was intended to investigate aerodynamic phenomena at speeds greater than Mach 2 (681 m/s, 2,451 km/h) and altitudes greater than 90,000 ft (27 km), specifically emphasizing dynamic stability and air loads. Longer and heavier than the original X-1, with a stepped canopy for better vision, the X-1A was powered by the same Reaction Motors XLR-11 rocket engine. The aircraft first flew, unpowered, on 14 February 1953 at Edwards AFB, with the first powered flight on 21 February.

Both flights were piloted by Bell test pilot. After started its high-speed testing with the, culminating in achieving Mach 2.005 on 20 November 1953, the Air Force started a series of tests with the X-1A, which the test pilot of the series,, named 'Operation NACA Weep'. These culminated on 12 December 1953, when Yeager achieved an altitude of 74,700 feet (22,800 m) and a new airspeed record of Mach 2.44 (equal to 1620 mph, 724.5 m/s, 2608 km/h at that altitude).

Unlike Crossfield in the Skyrocket, Yeager achieved that in level flight. Soon afterwards, the aircraft spun out of control, due to the then not yet understood phenomenon of. The X-1A dropped from maximum altitude to 25,000 feet (7,600 m), exposing the pilot to accelerations of as much as 8g, during which Yeager broke the canopy with his helmet before regaining control. On 28 May 1954, Maj. Piloted the X-1A to a new record of 90,440 feet (27,570 m).

The aircraft was transferred to NACA during September 1954. After modifications, including the installation of an ejection seat, the aircraft was lost on 8 August 1955 while being prepared for launch from the RB-50 mothership, becoming the first of many early X-planes that would be lost to explosions. X-1B at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The X-1B (serial 48-1385) was equipped with instrumentation for thermal research (more than 300 thermal probes were installed on its surface).

It was similar to the X-1A except for having a slightly different wing. The X-1B was used for high-speed research by the U.S. Air Force starting from October 1954, prior to being transferred to the NACA during January 1955. NACA continued to fly the aircraft until January 1958 when cracks in the fuel tanks forced its grounding.

The X-1B completed a total of 27 flights. A notable achievement was the installation of a system of small reaction rockets used for directional control, making the X-1B the first aircraft to fly with this sophisticated control system, later used in the. The X-1B is now at the, at, where it is displayed in the Museum's Maj. Albert Boyd and Maj. Fred Ascani Research and Development Gallery.

X-1C [ ] The X-1C (serial 48-1387) was intended to test armaments and munitions in the high transonic and supersonic flight regimes. It was canceled while still in the mockup stage, as the development of transonic and supersonic-capable aircraft like the and the eliminated the need for a dedicated experimental test vehicle. X-1D [ ] The X-1D (serial 48-1386) was the first of the second generation of supersonic rocket planes. Flown from an (s/n #46-006), it was to be used for heat transfer research. The X-1D was equipped with a new low-pressure fuel system and a slightly increased fuel capacity. There were also some minor changes of the avionics suite. On 24 July 1951, with Bell test pilot Jean 'Skip' Ziegler at the controls, the X-1D was launched over, on what was to become the only successful flight of its career.

The unpowered glide was completed after a nine-minute descent, but upon landing, the nose landing gear failed and the aircraft slid ungracefully to a stop. Repairs took several weeks to complete and a second flight was scheduled for mid-August.

On 22 August 1951, the X-1D was lost in a fuel explosion during preparations for the first powered flight. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact after it was jettisoned from its EB-50A mothership. Bell X-1-3, aircraft #46-064, being mated to the B-50 mothership for a captive flight test on 9 November 1951. While being de-fueled after this flight it exploded, destroying itself and the B-50, and seriously burning Joe Cannon. X-1-3 had completed only a single glide-flight on 20 July.

The X-1E was the result of a reconstruction of the X-1-2 (serial 46-063), in order to pursue the goals originally set for the X-1D and X-1-3 (serial 46-064), both lost by explosions during 1951. The cause of the mysterious explosions was finally traced to the use of Ulmer leather gaskets impregnated with (TCP), a leather treatment, which was used in the plumbing. TCP becomes unstable and explosive in the presence of pure oxygen and mechanical shock. This mistake cost two lives, caused injuries and lost several aircraft. The X-1E, christened Little Joe, with pilot Joe Walker. The changes included: • A turbopump fuel feed system, which eliminated the high-pressure nitrogen fuel system used in '062 and '063.

Concerns about metal fatigue in the nitrogen fuel system resulted in the grounding of the X-1-2 after its 54th flight in its original configuration. • A re-profiled super-thin wing (⅜ inches at the ), based on the wing profile, enabling the X-1E to reach Mach 2. • A 'knife-edge' windscreen replaced the original greenhouse glazing, an upward-opening canopy replaced the fuselage side hatch and allowed the inclusion of an.

• The addition of 200 pressure ports for aerodynamic data, and 343 strain gauges to measure structural loads and aerodynamic heating along the wing and fuselage. The X-1E first flew on 15 December 1955, a glide-flight controlled by USAF test pilot. Walker left the X-1E program during 1958, after 21 flights, attaining a maximum speed of Mach 2.21 (752 m/s, 2,704 km/h). NACA research pilot took his place during September 1958, completing five flights in pursuit of Mach 3 (1,021 m/s, 3,675 km/h) before the X-1E was permanently grounded after its 26th flight, during November 1958, due to the discovery of structural cracks in the fuel tank wall.

Aircraft on display [ ]. X-1-1 #46-062 Glamorous Glennis at the National Air and Space Museum. Its colour is • X-1-1, Air Force Serial Number 46-062, is currently displayed in the Milestones of Flight gallery of the in, alongside the and. The aircraft was flown to Washington, D.C., beneath a B-29 and presented to what was then the American National Air Museum in 1950. • X-1B, AF Ser. 48-1385, is on display in the Research & Development Hangar at the,, Ohio. • X-1E, AF Ser.

46-063, is on display in front of the headquarters building at, California. It is usually seen in episodes of the TV series, which was supposed to take place in Cape Kennedy, Florida. Specifications (Bell X-1) [ ]. • ^ Hallion, Richard, P. 2014-08-14 at the.

Retrieved: 7 September 2011. • ^ Wood 1975, p. • Bancroft, Dennis.

NOVA Transcripts, PBS. Air date 14 October 1997. Retrieved: 26 April 2009. • Paur, Jason. Wired, 14 October 2009. Retrieved: 10 January 2016.

• Miller 2001. [ ] • Brown 1980, p. • Miller 2001, p. • Yeager et al., 1997, p. • Hallion, Richard P. P 57 NASA, April 1999.

Retrieved: 5 January 2016. • Pisano, et al. 23 • Anderson, Clarence E.

March 25, 2007, at the. Retrieved: 14 October 2009. • Yeager and Janos 1986, p. • Wolfe 1979, pp. • Anderson, Clarence E. April 2, 2007, at the.

Retrieved: 14 October 2009. • Powers, Sheryll Goeccke.

'Women in Flight Research at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center from 1946 to 1995,' Monographs in Aerospace History, Number 6, 1997, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D. Milwaukee Journal. June 10, 1948. P. 1, part 1. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press.

June 11, 1948. • ^ Miller 2001, pp.

March 12, 2008, at the. AFFTC History Office, Edwards AFB. Retrieved: 14 October 2009. • Martin, Douglas title=Arthur Murray., 4 August 2011. Retrieved: 6 August 2011. • Miller 2001, p. • Thompson, Lance., February/March 1995, ISSN 0886-2257.

Retrieved: 12 March 2008. • Baugher, Joe.

USAAS/USAAC/USAAF/USAF Aircraft Serials,20 January 2008. Retrieved: 12 December 2010. • December 7, 2006, at the. Lexmark X1250 Driver Windows Xp Free Download. Retrieved: 14 October 2009. • NASA Dryden Fact Sheet. Retrieved: 12 March 2008. • Miller 2001, p.

• Made by the Ulmer Company. Hansen, 'First Man' p. 134 • September 20, 2008, at the. NASA (Dryden Collections). Retrieved: 5 January 2016. • Lockett, Brian.

Goleta Air and Space Museum, 3 July 1998. Retrieved: 5 January 2016. • ^ NASA (Dryden Collections). Retrieved: 5 January 2016. • • Staff, 'Resting Place', Flight, 28 September 1950, page 350. Bibliography [ ]. • 'Breaking the Sound Barrier.'

(TV program). • Hallion, Dr. 'Saga of the Rocket Ships.' AirEnthusiast Five, November 1977-February 1978. Bromley, Kent, UK: Pilot Press Ltd., 1977.

• Miller, Jay. The X-Planes: X-1 to X-45. Hinckley, UK: Midland, 2001.. • Pisano, Dominick A., R. Robert van der Linden and.

Chuck Yeager and the Bell X-1: Breaking the Sound Barrier. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (in association with Abrams, New York), 2006.. • Winchester, Jim.

Concept Aircraft: Prototypes, X-Planes and Experimental Aircraft (The Aviation Factfile). Kent, UK: Grange Books plc, 2005.. The Right Stuff. Drivers Teclado Hp Kb 0316. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1979..

• Yeager, Chuck, Bob Cardenas, Bob Hoover, Jack Russell and James Young. The Quest for Mach One: A First-Person Account of Breaking the Sound Barrier. New York: Penguin Studio, 1997.. • Yeager, Chuck and Leo Janos.

Yeager: An Autobiography. New York: Bantam, 1986.. External links [ ] Wikimedia Commons has media related to. • – • – • – NASA • – NASA • – National Air and Space Museum • •, • – Popular Science •.