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St. Louis Science Center: Astronomy Fact Of The Day: September 27, 2021
Today in 1956, Air Force test pilot Captain Milburn Apt flew the Bell Aircraft Company's rocket-powered X-2 at Mach 3.2. This event mark ...
September 27, 2021
Today in 1956, Air Force test pilot Captain Milburn Apt flew the Bell Aircraft Company’s rocket-powered X-2 at Mach 3.2. This event marked the first human flight to exceed the speed of sound by more than a factor of three. Unfortunately, Apt lost control of the X-2 due to inertial coupling when returning to base leading to a fatal crash. Apt was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1957.
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This press release was produced by St. Louis Science Center. The views expressed here are the author’s own.