Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft developed for the United States Air Force during the Cold War.
Also known as: SR-71, Blackbird aircraft
How big is it?
32.7 m long
Also 107.3 ft
Overall length · specified
Typical recorded range: 32.6 m to 32.8 m.
A little perspective
About the same scale as Rosetta spacecraft.
Rosetta spacecraft: Rosetta was an ESA spacecraft launched to study comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, carrying the Philae lander and powered by solar arrays.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
A rounded SR-71 reference: 32.7 m long, 16.9 m span, about 78 t maximum takeoff mass and roughly 980 m/s at high-speed cruise. Mission profile changes speed and mass.
NASA Armstrong — SR-71 Blackbird
The marked overall length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Rosetta spacecraft
ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft spanned approximately 32 m across its two deployed solar-array wings and had a launch mass near 3,000 kg. The Philae lander is included in launch mass, not shown as a separate body.
The marked deployed solar-array span is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 32.7 m
For comparison, this page uses overall length. The record labels this value specified, so the stated convention rather than an inferred average controls the comparison. The recorded range is 32.6 m to 32.8 m.
A rounded SR-71 reference: 32.7 m long, 16.9 m span, about 78 t maximum takeoff mass and roughly 980 m/s at high-speed cruise. Mission profile changes speed and mass.
The marked horizontal span follows the named feature; transparent margins and unmeasured details do not alter it. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32.7 m | 32.6 m to 32.8 m | specified | |
| 16.9 m | 16.8 m to 17 m | specified | |
| 5.6 m | 5.5 m to 5.7 m | specified | |
| 78 t | 77 t to 79 t | specified | |
| 3,528 km/h | 3,240 km/h to 3,600 km/h | specified |
Around this scale
Go smaller. Go bigger.
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Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- NASA Armstrong — SR-71 BlackbirdPublished aircraft dimensions and high-speed performance; mission conditions affect speed and mass.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
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