Joseph Albert Walker

Born: 20 February 1921, Washington, Pennsylvania, United States

Nationality: American

Died: 8 June 1966 (Aircraft accident)

Group: Man In Space Soonest (25 June 1958)

Status: Deceased

 

USAF (Non-FAI) Flights:
1	X-15 Flight #77	17 January 1963	9 minutes, 44 seconds

 

FAI Flights:
1	X-15 Flight #90	19 July 1963	11 minutes, 25 seconds
2	X-15 Flight #91	22 August 1963	11 minutes, 9 seconds

 

Non-Qualifying Flights with Significance:
X-15 Flight #9	25 March 1960	9 minutes, 8 seconds
X-15 Flight #13	19 April 1960	9 minutes, 59 seconds
X-15 Flight #15	25 May 1960	10 minutes, 10 seconds
X-15 Flight #18	4 August 1960	10 minutes, 23 seconds
X-15 Flight #20	19 August 1960	9 minutes, 42 seconds
X-15 Flight #35	30 March 1961	10 minutes, 16 seconds
X-15 Flight #37	25 May 1961	12 minutes, 8 seconds
X-15 Flight #40	12 September 1961	8 minutes, 44 seconds
X-15 Flight #44	17 October 1961	10 minutes, 12 seconds
X-15 Flight #50	20 April 1962	8 minutes, 59 seconds
X-15 Flight #52	30 April 1962	9 minutes, 46 seconds
X-15 Flight #56	7 June 1962	8 minutes, 24 seconds
X-15 Flight #59	27 June 1962	9 minutes, 32 seconds
X-15 Flight #61	16 July 1962	9 minutes, 38 seconds
X-15 Flight #65	2 August 1962	9 minutes, 14 seconds
X-15 Flight #67	14 August 1962	9 minutes, 5 seconds
X-15 Flight #76	20 December 1962	8 minutes, 54 seconds
X-15 Flight #79	18 April 1963	7 minutes, 13 seconds
X-15 Flight #81	2 May 1963	9 minutes, 17 seconds
X-15 Flight #84	29 May 1963	11 minutes, 48 seconds
X-15 Flight #86	25 June 1963	9 minutes, 59 seconds
X-15 Flight #88	9 July 1963	8 minutes, 58 seconds

Walker piloted 25 of the 199 X-15 flights. He was killed when his F-104 chase plane collided with an XB-70 bomber. Walker was the only X-15 pilot to achieve FAI definition astronaut status in the X-15. (Joe Engle achieved this status in the space shuttle, not the X-15).