July 17, 1962: Robert White flew the X-15 rocket plane to an altitude of 59.6 miles, becoming the first "winged" astronaut.
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X-15 Pilot Robert White Dies
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/aeronautics/features/robert-white.html
On July 17, 1962, Major White flew the X-15 to an altitude of 314,750 feet, or 59 miles, becoming the first "winged astronaut."