Joe Engle was the only pilot to fly both the X-15 and Space Shuttle.

History · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: As a legendary test pilot, Joe Engle bridged the gap between hypersonic research and orbital flight. He remains the only person to have piloted both the experimental X-15 rocket plane and the Space Shuttle, a rare feat that defined his career as a master of winged, manual spaceflight.

Born in Abilene, Kansas, in 1932, Joe Engle’s path to the stars began with a commission in the U.S. Air Force in 1958. His exceptional skill as a fighter pilot caught the attention of Chuck Yeager, who facilitated his entry into the Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base. By 1963, Engle was selected for the X-15 program, a collaborative effort between NASA, the Air Force, and North American Aviation. Over 16 flights, he explored the extremes of hypersonic aerodynamics, reaching speeds above Mach 5 and altitudes exceeding 50 miles, which earned him his astronaut wings.

Engle’s transition to the Space Shuttle program was marked by both patience and persistence. After being bumped from the Apollo 17 lunar landing mission in favor of geologist Harrison Schmitt, Engle waited for the Shuttle era to begin. His experience proved invaluable during the 1977 Approach and Landing Tests, where he provided critical feedback on the orbiter’s handling. In November 1981, he commanded STS-2, the second orbital flight of the program. During this mission, he and pilot Richard Truly performed a manual re-entry, a testament to his piloting prowess that remains a unique achievement in the history of the Space Shuttle.

Engle’s final spaceflight, STS-51I in 1985, saw him commanding the Space Shuttle Discovery to repair a malfunctioning satellite. Throughout his career, he logged over 15,400 flight hours across 185 types of aircraft. He passed away on July 10, 2024, at age 91. His legacy as a 'pilot’s pilot' is cemented by his rare ability to master the transition from the experimental X-15 to the complex, winged orbiters that defined the Space Shuttle era, leaving behind a career that spanned the most transformative decades of human flight.

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