Space Flight Research and Pioneering Developments. NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration is known worldwide for air and space flight. This book covers NASAs space flight research from the agencys beginnings in 1915 to the present-day. Projects covered include the first supersonic flight of the X-1 in 1947, the flights of the fastest manned aircraft, the rocket-powered X-15, tipping-rotor aircraft, testing new wing concepts, and more.