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SIMON: But Kit Murray wrestled his rocket plane into level flight and saw the astounding black and purple sky at the edge of space. He looked down and became the first man to behold the curvature of the earth. Kit Murray set an unofficial altitude record that day - 90,000 feet. Unofficial, because his flight was kept secret during the Cold War. He flew the X-1 14 times. Once, the canopy of another pilot's plane frosted over during descent. Kit Murray flew beside him and guided the pilot to a safe landing. He went on to manage the X-15 program where one of his young test pilots was Neil Armstrong. Kit Murray saw where the earth melts into outer space, and shared what he learned with the first man to walk on the moon. This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.