Special fuel, JP-7, stabilized with cesium, helped the aircraft endure high-altitude flights. Despite these innovations, the SR-71 required extensive maintenance, with 12 of 34 planes lost to ...

NASA released video footage of the SR-71 Blackbird, the high-altitude recon aircraft capable of reaching speeds over Mach 3. More from Military & Defense A triangle pointing right which indicates ...

Dane Penland / NASM, SI The two-seat cockpit of the SR-71, an aircraft designed for stealth, was a tight fit for the crew, who wore bulky spacesuits designed for their high-altitude missions.

The SR-71 “Blackbird” broke the world’s record for sustained altitude in horizontal flight in 1976 when it flew at Mach 3.3 (times the speed of sound). As of 2025, no fighter or proposed ...