▁fly ▁an ▁air plane ▁in ▁space ▁when ▁he ▁clim bed ▁to ▁ ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁July ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁NASA ' s ▁Joe ▁Walker ▁fle w ▁the ▁air plane ▁to ▁its ▁peak ▁alt itude ▁of ▁ ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁and ▁Maj ▁William ▁J . ▁" P ete " ▁Knight ▁reached ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁modified ▁X - 1 5 A - 2 ▁on ▁ 3 ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁a ▁speed ▁that ▁remains ▁the ▁highest ▁ever ▁att ained ▁in ▁an ▁air plane . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁X - 1 5 ▁Program , ▁A FF TC ▁and ▁NASA ▁also ▁te amed ▁up ▁to ▁explore ▁a ▁new ▁concept ▁called ▁" l ifting ▁re entry " ▁with ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁wing less ▁lif ting ▁body ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁These ▁ro cket ▁power ed - ve h icles ▁– ▁the ▁M 2 - F 2 , ▁M 2 - F 3 , ▁H L - 1 0 , ▁X - 2 4 A ▁and ▁X - 2 4 B ▁– ▁p aved ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁the ▁Space ▁Sh utt le ▁and ▁future ▁space plane ▁designs ▁when ▁they ▁demonstrated ▁that ▁they ▁could ▁make ▁precision ▁land ings ▁after ▁high - speed ▁gl iding ▁desc ents ▁from ▁high ▁alt itude . ▁ ▁The ▁major ▁aircraft ▁systems ▁that ▁were ▁tested ▁and ▁developed ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁the ▁T - 3 8 ▁Tal on , ▁B - 5 2 H ▁Str at