On November 20, 1953, the bustling skies above Edwards Air Force Base were taken over by a heavily modified Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Nestled beneath its massive belly was the Skyrocket, the final of three experimental aircraft.Inside the Superfortress, NACA test pilot Albert Scott Crossfield, Jr. handled the controls, his eyes focused. Today was no ordinary flight; today, they aimed to break a barrier no man had ever crossed.The bomber climbed steadily, engines straining. At 18,000 feet, Crossfield entered the cramped cockpit of the Skyrocket. Strapped in, he ran through final checks, feeling the weight of history on his shoulders.At 32,000 feet, the Skyrocket was released from its mothership, dropping before its rocket engine ignited, and it initiated a steep climb. The acceleration pinned Crossfield to his seat as the Skyrocket soared. Mach 1 passed, then Mach 1.5, the aircraft steady and sure.Crossfield pushed the nose down slightly, initiating a shallow dive. The Skyrocket surged forward.Just then, Crossfield scanned his instruments intently. The Skyrocket’s frame vibrated as it accelerated, pushing towards a speed no human had yet reached in level flight. The Machmeter needle crept closer to 2.0, then suddenly jumped past it, reaching 2.005.