The X-15 (see Fig. 5.92) was a rocketpowered research airplane designed to probe the myste...

The X-15 (see Fig. 5.92) was a rocketpowered research airplane designed to probe the mysteries of hypersonic flight. In 2014, the X-15 still holds the records for the fastest and highest flying piloted airplane (the Space Shuttle and Spaceship One, in this context, are space ships, not airplanes). On August 22, 1963, pilot Joseph Walker set the unofficial world altitude record of 354,200 feet. On October 3, 1967, pilot William J. Knight set the world speed record of 4520 mph (Mach 6.7)

(a) Convert Walker’s altitude record to meters and kilometers.

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(b) Convert Knight’s speed record to meters per second.

Fig. 5.92 The North American X-15, the first manned hypersonic airplane. (Source: U.S. Air Force.)