(July 1, 1999) The X-38 research vehicle drops away from NASA's B-52 mothership immediately after being released from the B-52's wing pylon. More than 30 years earlier, this same B-52 launched the original lifting-body vehicles flight tested by NASA and the Air Force at what is now called the Dryden Flight Research Center and the Air Force Flight Test Center. NASA B-52 Tail Number 008 is an air launch carrier aircraft "mothership," as well as a research aircraft platform that has been used on a variety of research projects. Image # : EC99-45080-25

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Photo credit: © ART Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: -52, -38, afrc, armstrong, body, boeing, crew, crv, dryden, int, international, iss, lifting, nasa, rescue, return, space, station, vehicle