Why Neil Armstrong's X-15 Test Flight 'Bounced' Off The Atmosphere

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Scott Manley

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Published on October 30, 2018 6:03:08 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gE_A_pYjKo

Duration: 10:14

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The movie 'First Man' opens with Neil Armstrong's test flight of an X-15 which almost ends in disaster after he flies way past his landing area and over the edges of LA. While the movie chooses to portray this as a consequence of his distracted state of mind over the health of his daughter, there's a series of technical decisions that lead to this.
If you want to go deeper into the stories behind the movie I recommend the book from which is was adapted:
First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen
https://amzn.to/2RpArY7