[meteorite-list] X-15 Test Pilot - Astronaut, Bill Dana, on Micrometeorite Damage

[MARK BOSTICK]

Hello list,

Continuing this e-mail string is Bill Dana. Dana was Chief Engineer at 
NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., from 1993 until 1998. 
Many years before that he was a project pilot on the hypersonic X-15 
research aircraft and flew the rocket-powered vehicle 16 times, reaching a 
top speed of 3,897 mph and a peak altitude of 307,000 feet (nearly 59 miles 
high, which exceeded the altitude line of 50 miles, thus qualified him for 
the astronaut title. He was the pilot on the final (199th) X-15 flight of 
the 10-year program on Oct 24,1968 . He was also the pilot of the last 
rocket powered flight of the X-24B (Sept 23,1975) which ended the series of 
Rocket Flights that begun in 1947 with the Bell X-1.   Not to be confused 
with the television actor Bill Dana.

Mark: Did any meteorite damage happen during the X-15 flights?

Bill Dana: I flew several X-15 missions that carried micrometeorite 
collectors.  The X-15 never captured a micrometeorite in these pods.  I have 
never heard of the existence of any micrometeorite crater on any aircraft or 
spacecraft.

Mark: Is there any special tools NASA sends with astronauts, or special 
training you where given in the case a meteorite should strike and heavily 
damage a craft while in use?

Bill Dana: I don't believe NASA sends any special tools nor has any special 
training for micrometeorite strikes on space missions.

(end)
Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
www.meteoritearticles.com