Posted: Wed, Jan 28, 2004, 8:27 PM ET (0127 GMT)
An X-43A hypersonic research vehicle completed a captive carry flight under the wing of a B-52 Monday, clearing the way for a full-fledged test flight next month. The X-43A and its Pegasus-derived booster rocket was carried under the wing of a B-52 aircraft for a two-hour flight Monday afternoon. The flight was designed to simulate an actual test flight, where the X-43A would be dropped from the wing; the rocket would then ignite to accelerate the X-43A to hypersonic speeds. The successful flight test allowed NASA to schedule the actual flight test of this X-43A for February 21. The vehicle is the second of three vehicles designed to demonstrate supersonic ramjet technology. The first X-43A was lost when its booster rocket flew out of control and was deployed just seconds after being deployed from a B-52 in June 2001.

Related Links:

•  SPACE.com article
•  NASA/Dryden press release