466:
451:
294:
1051:
285:
1039:
153:
43:
794:
1027:
1015:
502:
Lifting bodies were wingless vehicles designed to generate lift and aerodynamic stability from the shape of their bodies. They were flown at Dryden to study and validate the concept of safely maneuvering and landing a low lift-over-drag vehicle designed for reentry from space. Data from the program
568:
Thompson was also a member of NASA's Space
Transportation System Technology Steering Committee during the 1970s. In this role he led the effort to design the Orbiters for power-off landings rather than increase weight with air-breathing engines for airliner-type landings. His committee work earned
576:
Thompson concluded his active flying career in 1967, becoming Chief of
Research Projects two years later. In 1975 he was appointed Chief Engineer and retained the position until his death on August 6, 1993, at the age of 67. On the day of his death, Thompson was scheduled to be honored at a NASA
514:
rocket-powered research aircraft between 1959 and 1968. He began flying X-15s on
October 29, 1963, only 74 days after his first Lifting Body flight. He flew the aircraft 14 times during the following two years, reaching a maximum speed of 3,712 mph
1101:
608:
named
Thompson as one of its 1990 "Elder Statesman of Aviation". This distinction, given since 1955, highlights contributions "of significant value over a period of years" in the field of aeronautics.
1126:
1116:
598:
577:
dinner. The award dinner proceeded as a memorial to
Thompson. The cause of Thompson's death was not released, except to say he became acutely ill that day and died.
755:
477:
1136:
1081:
1096:
612:
60:
676:
465:
1111:
655:
1106:
414:
313:
288:
450:
586:
107:
748:
641:
126:
79:
1091:
570:
476:
Thompson was hired as an engineer at the flight research facility on March 19, 1956, when it was still under the auspices of the
252:
593:
as the
Outstanding Experimental Test Pilot of 1966 for his research flights in the M2 lifting bodies. He also received the 1967
704:
605:
86:
355:
Following his involvement with the X-15 program, Thompson became Chief
Engineer and Director of Research Projects at the NASA
535:
64:
709:
1086:
356:
1005:
93:
741:
329:
317:
75:
972:
406:
297:
53:
560:
and recover with a horizontal ground landing. The program was canceled before construction of the vehicle began.
390:
216:
31:
992:
834:
808:
783:
620:
590:
549:
425:
349:
293:
1131:
553:
492:
442:
Thompson's parents were Peter
Thompson and Alma T. Thompson; his siblings were Adeline, Fay and Janice.
410:
196:
714:
1121:
1076:
1071:
1055:
895:
879:
793:
594:
421:
368:
177:
100:
948:
864:
859:
764:
511:
433:
398:
394:
341:
220:
325:
719:
849:
651:
637:
541:
Thompson was one of an elite group of eight pilots who tested the paraglider research vehicle
439:
Thompson was married to
Therese Beytebiere; they had one daughter named Brett and four sons.
1043:
1019:
987:
982:
874:
824:
557:
491:. The plywood and steel-tubing prototype was flown as a glider after being released from an
1031:
940:
839:
495:. He flew it a total of 47 times, and also made the first five flights of the all-metal
932:
924:
916:
908:
900:
829:
527:
496:
470:
284:
1065:
854:
504:
234:
728:
542:
523:
484:
459:
383:
371:, on May 4, 1926, to parents Peter Thompson (1898–1960) and Alma Theresa Thompson (
152:
17:
516:
455:
402:
42:
724:
531:
488:
373:
345:
273:
239:
844:
648:
Flying
Without Wings: NASA Lifting Bodies and the Birth of the Space Shuttle
510:
Thompson was also one of the 12 NASA, Air Force, and Navy pilots to fly the
379:
967:
333:
976:
733:
538:, and the physiological aspects of high-speed, high-altitude flight.
429:
619:
described the X-15 flight program. In 1993 he was inducted into the
552:
selected Thompson to be the only civilian test pilot to fly in the
464:
449:
389:
Following six years of active Naval service, Thompson entered the
382:
as a pilot trainee at age 19. He served in China and Japan during
30:
This article is about the astronaut. For the baseball player, see
778:
677:"Milton Thompson Is Dead at 67; Was Test Pilot for Rocket Plane"
611:
Thompson wrote several technical papers, was a member of NASA's
337:
270:
266:
737:
519:
5.48) and a peak altitude of 214,100 feet on separate flights.
413:
and forest-spraying aircraft, eventually receiving the rank of
483:
On August 16, 1963, Thompson became the first person to fly a
36:
409:
during college and continued flying, in Navy aircraft and in
340:
research pilot. He was one of twelve pilots who flew the
650:, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington and London.
636:, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington and London.
1102:
University of Washington College of Engineering alumni
1003:
480:(NACA). He became a research pilot in January 1958.
960:
888:
817:
801:
771:
615:, and received several NASA awards. His 1992 book,
279:
265:
248:
227:
212:
204:
185:
159:
143:
67:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1127:Recipients of the NASA Distinguished Service Medal
599:American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
556:program that was intended to launch a human into
936:(spaceflight, program altitude record, Walker)
522:The X-15 program provided a wealth of data on
749:
634:At The Edge Of Space: The X-15 Flight Program
432:, he flew on the sister aircraft of Dryden's
378:; 1898–1977). Thompson began flying with the
8:
1117:United States Navy personnel of World War II
478:National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
904:(first flight into the mesosphere, Walker)
756:
742:
734:
151:
140:
127:Learn how and when to remove this message
1010:
675:The Associated Press (August 8, 1993).
667:
499:lifting body, beginning July 12, 1966.
710:Astronautix biography of Milt Thompson
601:(AIAA) for his lifting-body research.
715:Spacefacts biography of Milt Thompson
454:Thompson (right) with NASA astronaut
372:
7:
428:in Seattle. During his two years at
420:After graduating, Thompson became a
65:adding citations to reliable sources
587:Society of Experimental Test Pilots
705:Thompson's official NASA biography
589:, and received the organization's
25:
1137:Military personnel from Minnesota
503:helped in the development of the
312:(May 4, 1926 – August 6, 1993), (
1082:People from Crookston, Minnesota
1049:
1037:
1025:
1013:
792:
292:
283:
253:NASA Distinguished Service Medal
41:
1097:20th-century American engineers
606:National Aeronautic Association
52:needs additional citations for
952:(spaceflight, fatality, Adams)
944:(program speed record, Knight)
569:him NASA's highest award, the
1:
585:Thompson was a member of the
357:Dryden Flight Research Center
1112:United States Naval Aviators
646:Thompson, Milton O. (1999).
632:Thompson, Milton O. (1992).
405:in 1953. He remained in the
27:American aviator (1926–1993)
1107:United States Navy officers
571:Distinguished Service Medal
298:United States Naval Reserve
1153:
973:Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
912:(first spaceflight, White)
469:Thompson (center) and the
29:
790:
303:
258:
150:
76:"Milton Orville Thompson"
920:(spaceflight, Rushworth)
720:Iven C. Kincheloe Awards
613:Senior Executive Service
391:University of Washington
363:Early life and education
348:jointly operated by the
217:University of Washington
32:Milt Thompson (baseball)
1092:Aviators from Minnesota
993:Sub-orbital spaceflight
809:North American Aviation
784:United States Air Force
621:Aerospace Walk of Honor
591:Iven C. Kincheloe Award
426:Boeing Aircraft Company
350:United States Air Force
310:Milton Orville Thompson
164:Milton Orville Thompson
145:Milton Orville Thompson
473:
462:
397:. He graduated with a
928:(spaceflight, Walker)
468:
453:
197:Lancaster, California
1087:American test pilots
896:List of X-15 flights
617:At the Edge of Space
595:Octave Chanute Award
436:air-launch vehicle.
422:flight test engineer
415:lieutenant commander
369:Crookston, Minnesota
289:Lieutenant Commander
178:Crookston, Minnesota
61:improve this article
765:North American X-15
512:North American X-15
399:Bachelor of Science
395:Seattle, Washington
342:North American X-15
320:), better known as
681:The New York Times
487:, the lightweight
474:
471:M2-F2 Lifting Body
463:
344:, an experimental
324:, was an American
18:Milton O. Thompson
1001:
1000:
953:
945:
937:
929:
921:
913:
905:
656:978-1-56098-832-8
307:
306:
137:
136:
129:
111:
16:(Redirected from
1144:
1054:
1053:
1052:
1042:
1041:
1040:
1030:
1029:
1028:
1018:
1017:
1016:
1009:
988:List of X-planes
983:Hypersonic speed
951:
943:
935:
927:
919:
911:
903:
865:Robert Rushworth
860:Forrest Petersen
835:Scott Crossfield
796:
758:
751:
744:
735:
692:
691:
689:
687:
672:
377:
296:
287:
205:Other names
192:
173:
171:
155:
141:
132:
125:
121:
118:
112:
110:
69:
45:
37:
21:
1152:
1151:
1147:
1146:
1145:
1143:
1142:
1141:
1062:
1061:
1060:
1050:
1048:
1038:
1036:
1026:
1024:
1014:
1012:
1004:
1002:
997:
956:
884:
870:Milton Thompson
813:
797:
788:
767:
762:
701:
696:
695:
685:
683:
674:
673:
669:
664:
629:
583:
566:
536:flight controls
448:
365:
291:
244:
213:Alma mater
200:
194:
190:
181:
175:
169:
167:
166:
165:
146:
133:
122:
116:
113:
70:
68:
58:
46:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1150:
1148:
1140:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1064:
1063:
1059:
1058:
1046:
1034:
1022:
999:
998:
996:
995:
990:
985:
980:
970:
964:
962:
958:
957:
955:
954:
946:
938:
930:
922:
914:
906:
898:
892:
890:
886:
885:
883:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
850:William Knight
847:
842:
837:
832:
830:Neil Armstrong
827:
821:
819:
815:
814:
812:
811:
805:
803:
799:
798:
791:
789:
787:
786:
781:
775:
773:
769:
768:
763:
761:
760:
753:
746:
738:
732:
731:
722:
717:
712:
707:
700:
699:External links
697:
694:
693:
666:
665:
663:
660:
659:
658:
644:
628:
625:
582:
579:
565:
562:
554:X-20 Dyna-Soar
550:U.S. Air Force
528:thermodynamics
497:Northrop M2-F2
447:
444:
364:
361:
305:
304:
301:
300:
281:
277:
276:
263:
262:
256:
255:
250:
246:
245:
243:
242:
237:
231:
229:
225:
224:
214:
210:
209:
206:
202:
201:
195:
193:(aged 67)
189:August 6, 1993
187:
183:
182:
176:
163:
161:
157:
156:
148:
147:
144:
135:
134:
49:
47:
40:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1149:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1069:
1067:
1057:
1056:United States
1047:
1045:
1035:
1033:
1023:
1021:
1011:
1007:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
978:
974:
971:
969:
966:
965:
963:
959:
950:
947:
942:
939:
934:
931:
926:
923:
918:
915:
910:
907:
902:
899:
897:
894:
893:
891:
887:
881:
878:
876:
875:Joseph Walker
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
836:
833:
831:
828:
826:
825:Michael Adams
823:
822:
820:
816:
810:
807:
806:
804:
800:
795:
785:
782:
780:
777:
776:
774:
770:
766:
759:
754:
752:
747:
745:
740:
739:
736:
730:
726:
725:Milt Thompson
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
702:
698:
682:
678:
671:
668:
661:
657:
653:
649:
645:
643:
642:1-56098-107-5
639:
635:
631:
630:
626:
624:
622:
618:
614:
609:
607:
602:
600:
596:
592:
588:
580:
578:
574:
572:
564:Administrator
563:
561:
559:
555:
551:
546:
544:
539:
537:
533:
529:
525:
520:
518:
513:
508:
506:
505:Space Shuttle
500:
498:
494:
493:R4D tow plane
490:
486:
481:
479:
472:
467:
461:
457:
452:
445:
443:
440:
437:
435:
431:
427:
423:
418:
416:
412:
408:
407:Naval Reserve
404:
400:
396:
392:
387:
385:
381:
376: Evenson
375:
370:
362:
360:
358:
353:
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
326:naval officer
323:
322:Milt Thompson
319:
315:
311:
302:
299:
295:
290:
286:
282:
278:
275:
272:
268:
264:
261:
257:
254:
251:
247:
241:
238:
236:
235:Naval aviator
233:
232:
230:
226:
222:
218:
215:
211:
208:Milt Thompson
207:
203:
198:
188:
184:
179:
162:
158:
154:
149:
142:
139:
131:
128:
120:
117:February 2021
109:
106:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78: –
77:
73:
72:Find sources:
66:
62:
56:
55:
50:This article
48:
44:
39:
38:
33:
19:
1132:X-15 program
880:Robert White
869:
840:William Dana
802:Manufacturer
729:Find a Grave
684:. Retrieved
680:
670:
647:
633:
627:Bibliography
616:
610:
603:
584:
575:
567:
548:In 1962 the
547:
543:NASA Paresev
540:
524:aerodynamics
521:
509:
501:
485:lifting body
482:
475:
460:NASA Paresev
441:
438:
419:
411:crop dusters
388:
384:World War II
366:
354:
321:
309:
308:
260:Space career
259:
191:(1993-08-06)
138:
123:
114:
104:
97:
90:
83:
71:
59:Please help
54:verification
51:
1122:NASA people
1077:1993 deaths
1072:1926 births
686:January 24,
558:Earth orbit
456:Gus Grissom
403:Engineering
228:Occupations
174:May 4, 1926
1066:Categories
949:Flight 191
941:Flight 188
855:John McKay
662:References
532:propulsion
489:NASA M2-F1
446:Test pilot
401:degree in
352:and NASA.
346:spaceplane
274:Test pilot
240:Test pilot
170:1926-05-04
87:newspapers
1044:Minnesota
1020:Biography
933:Flight 91
925:Flight 90
917:Flight 87
909:Flight 62
901:Flight 35
845:Joe Engle
772:Operators
597:from the
380:U.S. Navy
1032:Aviation
968:Bell X-1
458:and the
424:for the
367:Born in
334:engineer
1006:Portals
977:Balls 8
961:Related
889:Flights
330:aviator
314:Lt Cmdr
223:, 1953)
101:scholar
818:Pilots
654:
640:
581:Awards
430:Boeing
336:, and
249:Awards
199:, U.S.
180:, U.S.
103:
96:
89:
82:
74:
434:B-52B
393:, in
108:JSTOR
94:books
779:NASA
688:2022
652:ISBN
638:ISBN
604:The
517:Mach
338:NASA
318:USNR
280:Rank
271:NASA
267:USAF
186:Died
160:Born
80:news
727:at
374:née
63:by
1068::
679:.
623:.
573:.
545:.
534:,
530:,
526:,
507:.
417:.
386:.
359:.
332:,
328:,
316:,
269:/
221:BS
1008::
979:)
975:(
757:e
750:t
743:v
690:.
515:(
219:(
172:)
168:(
130:)
124:(
119:)
115:(
105:·
98:·
91:·
84:·
57:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
