sr 71 blackbird altitude

The aircraft flew at more than 2200 mph (Mach 3+ or more than three times the speed of sound) and at altitudes over 85,000 feet. [63], Originally, the Blackbird's J58 engines were started with the assistance of two Buick Wildcat V8 internal combustion engines, externally mounted on a vehicle referred to as an AG330 "start cart". [123], The SR-71 was the world's fastest and highest-flying air-breathing operational manned aircraft throughout its career and it still holds that record. No. [38], The Blackbird's tires, manufactured by B.F. Goodrich, contained aluminum and were filled with nitrogen. NASA released video footage of the SR-71 Blackbird, the high-altitude recon aircraft capable of reaching speeds over Mach 3. [90][40], The first flight of an SR-71 took place on 22 December 1964, at USAF Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, piloted by Bob Gilliland. [49], On a typical mission, the SR-71 took off with only a partial fuel load to reduce stress on the brakes and tires during takeoff and also ensure it could successfully take off should one engine fail. When the SR-71 was retired in 1990, one Blackbird was flown from its birthplace at USAF Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, to go on exhibit at what is now the Smithsonian Institution's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. ", "Exclusive: Skunk Works Reveals SR-71 Successor Plan", "Skunk Works reveals Mach 6.0 SR-72 concept", "EXCLUSIVE: Secret New UAS Shows Stealth, Efficiency Advances", "There Can Be Only One: The Saga of the Only SR-71C Ever Built", "U-2 and SR-71 Units, Bases and Detachments", "Aircraft On Display: Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the worlds most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration. [53] After wind tunnel testing and computer modeling by NASA Dryden test center,[54] Lockheed installed an electronic control to detect unstart conditions and perform this reset action without pilot intervention. [26]:204 While the SR-71 survived attempts to retire it in 1988, partly due to the unmatched ability to provide high-quality coverage of the Kola Peninsula for the US Navy,[119][26]:194195 the decision to retire the SR-71 from active duty came in 1989, with the last missions flown in October that year. On 29 November 2018, the four Swedish pilots involved were awarded medals from the USAF.[116][117]. Special radar-absorbing materials were incorporated into sawtooth-shaped sections of the aircraft's skin. The aircraft flew at an altitude of over 80,000 feet (24,000 m) and at speeds over 2,190 miles per hour (3,520 km/h). Eventually, a quieter, pneumatic start system was developed for use at main operating bases. In late 1957, the CIA approached the defense contractor Lockheed to build an undetectable spy plane. Speculation existed regarding a replacement for the SR-71, including a rumored aircraft codenamed Aurora.

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