UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
X-15 | Flight 153
—
—
Oct 14, 1965 at 20:47 UTC
▸ Flight profile›
Initializing Launch Globe…
PADEdwards Air Force Base
SITEAir launch to Suborbital flight →ORBITSuborbital
TYPETest Flight
PROGRAMX-15
MISSION OVERVIEW
Flight 153 of the North American X-15 was a test flight conducted by NASA and the US Air Force in 1965. Piloted by Joe H. Engle it reached an altitude of 81.1 km.
LAUNCH DETAILS
VEHICLE
North American X-15AGENCY
United States Air ForceMISSION
Flight 153
MISSION TYPE
Test Flight
TARGET ORBIT
Suborbital
LAUNCH PAD
Edwards Air Force BaseLAUNCH SITE
Air launch to Suborbital flightPROGRAM
X-15
COUNTRY
USA
LAUNCH TIME VERIFICATION
CONFIRMEDPrecision: Minute
LAUNCH LIBRARY 2 PRIMARY
API ID: a6782ea2-e031-4f20-b36c-badfeb84e07e
Reported date: Oct 14, 1965 at 20:47 UTC
Last synced: 2 minutes ago
This launch date and time are confirmed by the launch provider. Countdown is active.
LAUNCH MAP
PAD WEATHER
Loading weather…
CAN YOU SEE THIS LAUNCH?
Select a location to check if this launch is visible from where you are
NORTH AMERICAN X-15 — X-15-1
56-6670SERIAL
2FLIGHTS
SuborbitalDESTINATION
RetiredSTATUS
FLIGHT-PROVEN CAPSULE
First X-15 experimental rocket plane.
CREW MANIFEST
Joe EnglePilot
VEHICLE — North American X-15 →
MANUFACTURER
North American Aviation
FLIGHTS
13
SUCCESSES
12
SUCCESS RATE
92.3%
The North American X-15 was a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as part of the X-plane series of experimental aircraft.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When is the X-15 | Flight 153 launch?
The X-15 | Flight 153 is scheduled for Thursday, October 14, 1965 at 8:47 PM UTC. This is the NET (No Earlier Than) time and may be subject to change. Current status: SUCCESS.
What rocket is being used for Flight 153?
The X-15 | Flight 153 mission uses the North American X-15 rocket, manufactured by North American Aviation. The North American X-15 has flown 13 times with a 92.3% success rate.
Where is the X-15 | Flight 153 launching from?
The launch takes place from Edwards Air Force Base at Air launch to Suborbital flight.
What orbit is Flight 153 going to?
The Flight 153 mission is targeting Suborbital.
Who is launching Flight 153?
The X-15 | Flight 153 is operated by United States Air Force. It is part of the X-15 program.
Can I watch the X-15 | Flight 153 launch live?
Yes. Visit the launch detail page on Space Launch Live for embedded YouTube webcasts, replay videos, and links to live coverage from SpaceX, NASA, NASASpaceflight, and other channels.
LAUNCH TIMELINE
Mar 28, 2026 20:13 UTC
Launch added to tracker
Imported from Launch Library 2 API
Mar 28, 2026 20:13 UTC
Launch date set: Oct 14, 1965 at 20:47 UTC
NET (No Earlier Than) confirmed by United States Air Force
Mar 28, 2026 20:13 UTC
Launch completed successfully
Updated via Launch Library 2
Jun 27, 2025 17:49 UTC
Astronaut Joe Engle Flies X-15Former NASA astronaut Joe Engle poses in front of an X-15 plane in this Dec. 2, 1965, photo. On June 29, 1965, Engle flew the…
NASA
Jan 9, 2025 16:00 UTC
Helicopter Removes Artifact from NASA Armstrong RooftopWhat do the X-15 and the space shuttles have in common? Information from the rocket plane and the spacecraft, as well as many experimental aircraft,…
NASA
Sep 17, 2024 13:00 UTC
65 Years Ago: First Powered Flight of the X-15 Hypersonic Rocket PlaneThe X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft, built by North American Aviation (NAA), greatly expanded our knowledge of flight at speeds exceeding Mach 6 and altitudes above…
NASA
Jul 11, 2024 21:33 UTC
NASA Remembers Retired Astronaut, US Air Force Pilot Joe EngleRetired NASA astronaut and U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Joe Engle died July 10, surrounded by his family at home in Houston. Among his many…
NASA
LIVE DATA SOURCES
Last data sync: 2 minutes ago
●Launch Library 22 minutes ago
Launch ID: a6782ea2-e031-4f20-b36c-badfeb84e07e
●Spaceflight News API52 seconds ago
4 articles matched
●Open-Meteo Weather3 days ago
Pad weather at 34.91, -117.88
Mission Profile
Flight 153 was a North American X-15 mission operated by United States Air Force that lifted off from Edwards Air Force Base, Air launch to Suborbital flight on October 14, 1965. The flight carried its payload on a test flight mission to Suborbital. It was flown as part of the X-15 program. The launch was a success.