NASA X-43

The North American XB-70 Valkyrie was a prototype bomber designed in the 1950s for the US Air Force. It was intended to be a Mach 3, nuclear-armed, supersonic bomber capable of short bursts of supersonic speed. The XB-70 was a groundbreaking aircraft with a delta-shaped wing, six jet engines, and variable geometry wing tips. It was designed to “ride” its own shockwave, similar to a surfer riding a wave.