Bell’s X-1 Rocket Plane Breaks Sound Barrier
At a glance:
- Series: Great Events: 1900-2001
- Categories: Aviation, Space Exploration
- Subcategories: Engineering, Engineers, Aircraft, Airplanes
- Curriculum: American History 1901-1950
- Geographical Location: California
- Date: October 14, 1947
Article abstract: United States Air Force captain Chuck Yeager flew the Bell X-1, a rocket-propelled airplane, past the speed of sound, a crucial step in aerospace research.
The Sound Barrier
Pilots do not need to worry about air turbulence produced by their aircraft at low speeds. However, as an airplane nears the speed of sound (about 1,266 kilometers per hour at sea level, referred to as Mach 1), dangerous turbulence builds up, especially at the tips of propellers and along the wings. Because of the turbulence, until the mid-1930’s, most scientists...
[The entire page is 990 words long]
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