The Vigilante demonstrated its performance by lifting a 1,000-kilogram payload to more than 91,000 feet. The record attempt deliberately carried the aircraft beyond the altitude at which its wings and engines could function normally. At the top of the ballistic trajectory the engines flamed out and the thin atmosphere left the control surfaces ineffective, causing the aircraft to roll inverted. Pilots Leroy Heath and Larry Monroe released the controls and waited for denser air to restore control during the descent, trusting the aircraft to become responsive again as planned.
Notable Point · 40:03-42:31
A ballistic climb carried the Vigilante above 91,000 feet
A record-setting Vigilante carried a 1,000-kilogram payload above 91,000 feet, temporarily losing aerodynamic control at the top of its ballistic climb.