North American X-10 (1954)

National Archives Identifier: 66500 (B&W, Silent) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The North American X-10 (model RTV-A-5) was an unmanned technology demonstrator for advanced missile technologies during the 1950s. The X-10 was similar to the development of Bell’s X-9 Shrike project. To facilitate development of the long-range SM-64 Navaho surface-to-surface cruise missile, North American Aviation developed the RTV-A-5, or X-10 in 1951. This vehicle was to prove out critical flight technology for the design of the cruise vehicle of the Navaho missile design. These included proving the basic aerodynamics out to Mach 2, flight testing the inertial guidance unit and flight control avionics to the same speed, and finally validate the recovery system for the next phase in the Navaho program. Preliminary design of the X-10 was completed in February 1951 and the first vehicle was delivered to Edwards Air Force Base in May 1953. The first flight occurred on Octob