Who was the first man to break the sound barrier?

The first man to break the sound barrier was Charles "Chuck" Yeager. On October 14, 1947, Yeager piloted the Bell X-1, a rocket-powered aircraft, and successfully reached a speed of Mach 1.06 (approximately 700 miles per hour at the altitude he was flying) in level flight. This achievement marked a significant milestone in aviation history, proving that traveling faster than the speed of sound was possible and opening doors for future developments in aircraft design and military aviation.

Yeager's accomplishment is often celebrated not just for the technical feat itself but also for the brave and pioneering spirit he exemplified as a test pilot. His successful flight remains a key historical reference point in the field of aerodynamics and has inspired generations of aviators and engineers.

In contrast, Neil Armstrong is renowned for being the first man to walk on the moon, Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space, and Wally Schirra was a notable astronaut who flew in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, but none of them achieved the milestone of breaking the sound barrier before Yeager did.