Edwards, California October 25, 1965 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has scheduled the first flight of X-15 No. 2 with its external propellant tanks Friday, Oct. 29. This will be the first of two flight tests of the tank ejection procedure and recovery systems. The tanks have been added to increase the X-15 speed to more than 5,000 mph. This will be the initial flight of the X-15 with the two 25-foot long tanks attached to the underside of its fuselage. For this flight, the 1,800-1b. tanks will be empty. On later research flights the tanks will carry some 13.500 lbs. of propellant (anhydrous ammonia and liquid oxygen). The X-15, with Air Force Lt. Col. Robert A. Rushworth as pilot, will be air-launched from a B-52 near Cuddeback dry lake 50 miles north of Edvards, Cali?. After launch, Rushworth will throttle back the rocket engine to minimum power. He will jettison the tanks as he reaches a speed of 1,400 mph and altitude of 69,000 feet. These are the flight conditions at which tank separation will occur on future research missions. After separation from the X-15 each of the two tanks will deploy a 34-foot parachute for descent to a bombing range area for recovery. The tanks will be refurbished for re-use. Because of the short flight, the X-15 will not exceed 1500 mph and 70,000 feet. The jettisonable portion of the ventral fin will also be carried on this flight to increase directional stability. Following an accident in 1962, the No. 2 X-15 was repaired and modified. One modification included the two external propellant tanks. The added propellant is expected to increase engine burning time from 85 to 145 seconds, thereby raising the speed to Mach 8, or about 5,000 mph. Present maximum speed of the X-15 is slightly over six times the speed of sound Mach 6). The airplane has reached a top speed of 4,104 mph.