Any guess on the altitude?

[Devilsown]

Just wondering if any pilots would know about how high up this b-52 (carrying the x15) is... cause it looks to be a tad higher than the know ceiling of the b-52

[jsatek]

49,704.72 feet is the ceiling. (15,150 meters) 55,000 feet unloaded.

That pic looks higher, closer to 60,000 feet.

[Tasty]

I would have guessed even higher than that, but I'm probably way off. Angle of the camera could be deceiving. I would have put it in the 100K range judging by this crazy *** video (First man In Space - Skydiving from the edge of the world - Google Video, although I think the air would be way too thin to power the jets at that height.

[Setec Astronomy]

Is this a trick question? First of all, that picture looks a bit bogus, second of all, the OP gives his address as Barksdale Air Force Base...so he oughta know the answer already

[Devilsown]

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Is this a trick question? First of all, that picture looks a bit bogus, second of all, the OP gives his address as Barksdale Air Force Base...so he oughta know the answer already

No I wish I knew, it just looks alot higher than they are capable of going, plus combat aircraft vs nasa b-52 little different, thats why I ask, and no its not a fake I saw this same image at nasa's website.

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[Setec Astronomy]

Honestly, the launch altitude of all the X-15 flights should be pretty available. My recollection is most of those went from 45 or 50,000 feet, IIRC the Concorde's cruising altitude was about 50 and the sky was black from there.

EDIT: Here's a NASA page that says the launch altitude for (all?) the X-15 flights was 45,000 ft.: X-15 E-4942: X-15 launch from B-52 mothership

[paul34]

How does that work? Wouldn't that guy have experienced significant heat from friction upon entry to the denser air?

[Devilsown]

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Honestly, the launch altitude of all the X-15 flights should be pretty available. My recollection is most of those went from 45 or 50,000 feet, IIRC the Concorde's cruising altitude was about 50 and the sky was black from there.

EDIT: Here's a NASA page that says the launch altitude for (all?) the X-15 flights was 45,000 ft.: X-15 E-4942: X-15 launch from B-52 mothership

Sweet thanks, I really guess I didnt relise how high that really is, didnt think land mass would be that small, and be able to space that easy.

[Setec Astronomy]

Originally Posted by paul34

How does that work? Wouldn't that guy have experienced significant heat from friction upon entry to the denser air?

That was the launch altitude; rocket planes climb quite rapidly after release.

[paul34]

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

That was the launch altitude; rocket planes climb quite rapidly after release.

No no I was talking about the skydiving man

[Setec Astronomy]

Originally Posted by paul34

No no I was talking about the skydiving man

Ohhh...I hadn't watched that--what a wild man!

[Coupe]

Originally Posted by paul34

How does that work? Wouldn't that guy have experienced significant heat from friction upon entry to the denser air?

Thats what im confused about.