1960s Space Plane Subject of Aug. 26 Lecture and Book Signing

SEATTLE, Aug. 24, 2017--On Aug. 26, the Museum hosts a lecture and book signing with author Michelle Evans, who will talk about her new book, The X-15 Rocket Plane: Flying the First Wings into Space. Evans captures the drama and excitement of the program behind the plane that was flown into space 15 years before the shuttle. Her book puts a human face on the feats of science and engineering that went into the X-15 program, and introduces its largely unsung pilots. By the time of the Apollo 11 moon landing, only 31 American astronauts had flown into space, and eight of them were astronaut-pilots of the X-15. The 2 p.m. program is free with admission to the Museum.

Image: Wearing the same type space suits used by the Mercury astronauts, Air Force and NASA pilots pose in front of their X-15 hypersonic rocket plane in the 1960s. NASA photo.

Founded in 1965, the independent, nonprofit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, serving more than 560,000 visitors annually. The Museum's collection includes more than 160 historically significant airplanes and spacecraft, from the first fighter plane (1914) to today's 787 Dreamliner. Attractions at the 20-acre, 5-building Seattle campus include the original Boeing Company factory, and the only full-scale NASA Space Shuttle Trainer, and the only display of engines that launched Apollo astronauts to the Moon. With a foundation of aviation history, the Museum is also a hub of news and dialogue with leaders in the emerging field of private spaceflight ventures. The Museum's aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 150,000 individuals are served annually by the Museum's onsite and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.