Breaking the Barrier
The Bell X-1 rocket plane was the first to break the supposed sound barrier (or Mach 1) on Oct. 14, 1947. Air Force Capt. Chuck Yeager was at the controls as the X-1 was flown over what is now called Edwards Air Force Base. The high-speed experimental flight program was a joint effort of the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the predecessor of NASA, and opened the door for all the supersonic research to come.
Image Credit: NASA
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https://www.nasa.gov/image-detail/breaking-barrier/
Image CreditNASA
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