aerodynamics, supersonic

Looks at a milestone in the history of science and technology, breaking the sound barrier, from the perspective of the people who lived it.

Examines the history of the quest to break the sound barrier, explaining how the speed of sound and the sound barrier were discovered, reviewing advances in airplane technology, and discussing the development of the X-1 airplane and Chuck Yeager's historic flight in 1947 during which he became the first pilot to break the sound barrier.