Well, probably a lot of you have heard about rumors of a secret USAF spaceplane program, something called Blackstar, a development of the old XB-70. Two stages to orbit, some advantages over reconnaissance satellites, etc. Well, would the Air Force conducting such a program (maybe base it on the cancelled X-20) in the 1960s and 1970s, and keeping it secret for at least a decade or so, and using it to conduct overflights and everything, be plausible?
This gives rise to a challenge: with a POD no earlier than 1 January 1960, and changing as little else as possible, make the USAF, and also hopefully the relevant Soviet agencies, to develop, construct, deploy and make use of such a system. Why? Because secret military spaceplane programs are cool.
This gives rise to a challenge: with a POD no earlier than 1 January 1960, and changing as little else as possible, make the USAF, and also hopefully the relevant Soviet agencies, to develop, construct, deploy and make use of such a system. Why? Because secret military spaceplane programs are cool.