Jim Cast
Headquarters, Washington, DC               April 12, 2001
(Phone: 202/358-1779)

Keith Henry
Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
(Phone: 757/864-6120)

Leslie Williams
Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA
(Phone: 661/276-3893)

NOTE TO EDITORS: N01-21

BRIEFING SET AS HYPER-X FLIGHT PREPERATIONS BEGIN

     The first of three unpiloted X-43 vehicles in NASA's 
Hyper-X program will soon begin hypersonic flight from NASA's 
Dryden Flight Research Center, CA.

Flying from seven to ten times the speed of sound, using air-
breathing scramjet engines instead of traditional rocket 
power, the smaller, 12-foot-long X-43 could represent a major 
leap forward in the goal of providing faster, more reliable 
and less expensive access to space.

On Wednesday, April 18, at 1 p.m. EDT, NASA will conduct a 
press briefing from Dryden, featuring key program and project 
officials to outline plans for upcoming X-43 flights and the 
Hyper-X program. Reporters will be able to ask questions from 
participating NASA centers.

The press briefing will be carried on NASA Television, which 
is available on GE-2, transponder 9C, located at 85 degrees 
West longitude, with vertical polarization. Frequency will be 
on 3880 MHz, with audio on 6.8 MHz.

                          -end-