Flight: 1-17-30 Date: 11/17/60
Plane X-15 #670 T.O.:  
Pilot: Capt. Rushworth Launch:  
Chase: Joe Walker Land:  
    Total:  

2 minutes to launch
 
Rushworth: Platform internal, ventral is arm, intercom switch going off, radio check how do you read NASA l? 
   
NASA 1: 5 square Bob. 
   
Rushworth: I got lower preheat-upper preheat light. I didn't hear Joe call in, did he? 
   
...... He's airborne. 
   
Joe: Right here with you, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: OK. 
   
B-52: 1 minute, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: Understand. 
   
B-52: Confirm X-15 oxygen on. 
   
Rushworth: Roger, X-15 oxygen is on, master switch coming on now, get. 50 second switch. 
   
B-52: Engine 43 there, Bob. Sorry. 
   
Rushworth: Prime coming on now. 
   
B-52: Prime on both engines. 
   
...... ..........
   
Rushworth: It's +80 on #l and 100 on #2. 
   
NASA 1: Roger Bob, can we have an oxygen reading? 
   
Rushworth: Oxygen reading 2000 or just under that. 
   
B-52: 20 seconds, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: OK. 
   
B-52: LOX prime has blossomed, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: OK. 
   
B-52: 15 seconds - ready?
   
Rushworth: Ready! 
   
B-52: Ready launch light. 
   
Rushworth: Launch light is on. 
   
B-52: 5 seconds, 4-3-2-1 release. 
   
Chase: Yes sir, you got an 8 start there, you're in good shape. 
   
Rushworth: OK, Joe. I was going to say something - kept the mike button pushed. Was kind of a hard launch wasn't it Fitz? 
   
Fitz: That's the way she comes out, slow recovery like. 
   
NASA 1: You're bearing a little bit to the right there, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: OK, Jack, thank you. 
   
B-52: Reading 035 there when he made that cough. 
   
...... Pretty good. .
   
Rushworth: And I hit 38,700 on the bottom, 37 starting pushover, inertial altitude reading 53.5 right now. 
   
NASA 1: Roger, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: Number 155. 
   
NASA 1: 10 seconds to turn, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: Inertial altitude at now 55 and I'm level at 54.3 on pressure, number 17 going into turn, burning out, oh oh, I think it's the bottom engine that went out. 
   
NASA 1: Roger, that's affirmative, Bob. 
   
Chase: You start that from the upper one. 
   
Rushworth: OK, engine circuit breaker popped, shall I try to start them? 
   
NASA 1: Roger, bend it around a little, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: OK. 
   
NASA 1: You're getting a little north. 
   
Rushworth: OK, it came in, still getting 17 at 50.
   
...... ..........
   
Rushworth: Shall I try to get altitude back? 
   
NASA 1: We show a complete operation down here, Bob. 
   
Chase: Looks good here. 
   
Rushworth: I'll try to get the speed brakes here. 
   
NASA 1: Your heading looks good now. .
   
Rushworth: I'm afraid I might get burnout before speed brakes. I got 180, burnout, brakes coming in, dampers are back on, speed brakes are in. 
   
NASA 1: Roger. You're in a little close, Bob, straighten it out a little. 
   
Rushworth: Yes, I got the base in sight, I'm at 45. Inertial altitude was 47. 
   
Tower: Base lakebed winds are from the north 5. 
   
Rushworth: Thank you, subsonic at .92 at 40, ready to jettison Joe? 
   
Joe: Yes, I got you - anytime. 
   
Rushworth: OK, coming on jettison. Looks good. 
   
NASA 1: Yes, your position is in good shape down here, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: OK, I'm at 36 now. 
   
Chase: Check, doing about 270. 
   
Rushworth: Right, going down 300 now. 
   
NASA 1: Roger, are your wings level now, Bob? 
   
Rushworth: Yes, wings level right now. 
   
NASA 1: Roger
   
Rushworth: ..........
   
Chase: Fuel coming on, fuel with the peroxide.
   
Rushworth: OK.
   
Chase: Doing about 320, 310.
   
Rushworth: Roger, 330 right now, Joe. 24,000 now.
   
Chase: Check.
   
Rushworth: Inertial altitude 30. 
   
NASA 1: Roger, and you're looking good. 
   
Rushworth: OK. 
   
Chase: OK, everything's complete. 
   
Rushworth: OK, going back to pressurize at - standby I'll wait until 17. 
   
Chase: OK, just a shade of peroxide vapor looks like coming out of the .......... looks like you can hold on OK.
   
Rushworth: 20,000 inertial altitude at 27. 
   
Chase: Check. 
   
NASA 1: If you have time, Bob, would like to get that pushover and pullup on the downwind. 
   
Rushworth: 305 right now, pushover and pullup at 17, pressure, turn in.
   
Chase: Good shape, Bob. 
   
Rushworth: 12,000, inertial is 20. 
   
Chase: Check, 325. 
   
Rushworth: Right, I got 320. 10,000 little speed brakes right there. 
   
Chase: OK. Looks like you're coming up clear, anytime you're ready to Jettison ventral. 
   
Rushworth: OK, going to jettison now. 
   
NASA 1: Speed brakes. 
   
Rushworth: Brakes are in, flaps are coming down now, about 280, gear coming down now. 
   
Chase: It's down and locked. Real beauty!
   
Chase: Good show!
   
Rushworth: Too much a fake!