File:Aviation Week 03-06-2006 cover.jpg

Summary
Aviation Week & Space Technology 6 March 2006

"Artist's concept depicts an XB-70-like carrier aircraft dropping a manned spaceplane at high altitude. Possibly developed in the late-1980s, the highly classified two-stage-to-orbit " Blackstar" system could place a small payload in low Earth orbit or serve as a rapid-response reconnaissance platform. The two vehicles were seen several times throughout the 1990s, but may have been shelved in recent years, according to officials familiar with the program. Graphic by James Petty and Travis Thatcher."

Source
Downloaded from http://www.aviationnow.com/media/images/awst_images/small/AW_03_06_2006_00_Cover.jpg to illustrate Blackstar (spaceplane) article

Fair Use Rationale
Used to illustrate the article: Blackstar (spaceplane). The speculative black project, Blackstar, was revealed in the March 6, 2006 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology as the cover story of the issue depicted in the image.

No public-domain images of the article subject exist, as it is a classified project and the cover image contains speculative artwork.

Blackstar (spaceplane) is as much about the reporting methodology in the specific AW&ST issue as it is the spaceplane.

The file is of sufficiently low-resolution to prevent it from being used for unauthorized reproductions.