This photograph pairs a U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon chase aircraft with one of NASA's unconventional lifting-body research vehicles, part of a pioneering 1960s program to study wingless reentry aerodynamics. Lifting-body vehicles such as the M2-F2, M2-F3, and HL-10 were flown at high-speed test facilities to gather data that directly informed the design of the Space Shuttle. Fast, agile T-38s like the one shown here routinely served as photo and safety chase planes during these hazardous experimental flights, illustrating the close collaboration between the Air Force and NASA during America's early space research efforts. Project: 218463