Tag Archives: X-15

Neil Armstrong OpEd in the Guardian

Posted on August 26, 2012 by asteitel

I was asked to write an opinion piece on Neil Armstrong’s passing for the Guardian. I thought a lot about the role he’s played in spaceflight history, not just because of the missions he flew but because of what he … Continue reading →

Posted in Apollo, Gemini, History of Space Science, Mercury, Moon | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Neil Armstrong: Ace Engineer and Hotshot Test Pilot

Posted on August 25, 2012 by asteitel

I walked in the house this afternoon to find a heap of emails, text messages, and voicemails about Neil Armstrong’s death. I was shocked. My next thought was that Armstrong will never be truly gone. When he stepped on the Moon on … Continue reading →

Posted in Apollo, Gemini, History of Space Science, Manned Spaceflight | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

The X-15′s First Glide

Posted on June 8, 2012 by asteitel

It was a chilly morning on June 8, 1959 when Scott Crossfield climbed into the cockpit of the X-15 rocket aircraft. By 8:30, he was airborne, and the aircraft  was nestled under the wing of the larger B-52 launch plane. … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, History of Space Science, Manned Spaceflight | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

A History of the Dyna-Soar

Posted on October 5, 2011 by asteitel

Over the last few days, I’ve been doing some research into the USAF Dyna-Soar or X-20 program, and its story is much more interesting than I realized. Like many of the unrealized programs of the early space age, its impact … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Manned Spaceflight, Soviet | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

In Support of the X-15

Posted on August 16, 2011 by asteitel

I’ve recently delved back into the X-15 again. But instead of focussing on the aircraft and its role in America’s move into space, I’ve been looking into the structure of the program as a whole. I was surprised, though I … Continue reading →

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Rogallo After Gemini

Posted on June 5, 2011 by asteitel

In a previous post, I looked at the Rogallo paraglider wing landing system and its failed development as part of NASA’s Gemini program. I also mentioned that the landing system didn’t disappear right away. After its cancellation from Gemini, NASA … Continue reading →

Posted in Apollo, Gemini, Manned Spaceflight, Mercury, Space Shuttle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Mapping Vintage Space

Posted on April 24, 2011 by asteitel

Regular readers of Vintage Space are doubtless aware that I have a tendency to link newer posts to older ones. This reflects the interrelation of all the topics I have (and will) discuss in this blog. I find this era … Continue reading →

Posted in Aircraft, Apollo, Gemini, History of Space Science, Manned Spaceflight, Mercury, Planetary Science, Rockets, Soviet, Space Shuttle, Unmanned Spaceflight | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments