Wind Tunnel in the Sky

Originally designed as a supersonic interceptor for the Air Force, the YF-12A was a variant of Lockheed's A-12 reconnaissance plane. Between 1969 and 1979, NASA flew the YF-12A and later SR-71 for a variety of research projects involving the effects of high speed (up to Mach 3.2) aerodynamics, heating, and propulsion, as well as tests in support of the space shuttle.

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