The Martin Marietta X-24A was a piloted, unpowered experimental aircraft developed to test lifting body concepts for unpowered reentry and landing-technology that would later be applied to the Space Shuttle. In addition to the X-15, Balls Eight also carried and launched the Martin Marietta X-24 and other lifting body aircraft, followed by HiMAT, the Pegasus rocket and the unmanned scramjet-powered X-43, among others. While the NB-52B is most famous for launching the three North American X-15 rocket planes, it continued to serve in the role of launch platform for a multitude of programs until its final mission on November 16, 2004.”(1) Balls Eight Played a Key Role in Space Shuttle Development X-24 Lifting Body used for unpowered landing research that would be applied to the Space Shuttle.įor forty-five years, the NB-52B was a fixture at Edwards Air Force Base. Initially, it was stored at Davis Monthan AFB, but later given a home at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. NB-52A-0003 was retired in 1969 shortly after the end of the X-15 program, having flow 69 of the launch missions plus. Today one of the remaining X-15s is on display at the National Air and Space Museum and the other can be seen and the National Museum of the Air Force. There were three X-15s in the program, one of which was destroyed in a crash.
This aircraft was dubbed “Balls Eight” because, in a serial number, a series of zeros were referred to as “balls.”īetween 19, these two aircraft flew more than 60 captive carry and 199 X-15 launch missions. It was transferred to Edwards AFB in 1958 and modified to become an NB-52B.
#B52 cockpit stations serial number#
The second was originally delivered to the Air Force in 1954 as an RB-52B, serial number B-52B-0008, equipped to be a reconnaissance aircraft. NB-52B, Balls Eight with the X-15 and a T-38 chase plane (Public Domain)
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