Space History Photo: D-558-2 Being Mounted to P2B-1 Mothership

The D-558-2 is mounted to a P2B-1 Mothership. (Image credit: NACA.)

In this historical photo from the U.S. space agency, the Douglas D-558-2 #2 is being mounted under the left wing of the P2B-1 launch aircraft in 1956. The P2B-1 has been lifted on mechanical jacks in the hangar for a possible fit check or a rare attachment of the Skyrocket for a flight.

The National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) was a precursor to NASA. NACA was created by Congress in 1915.

Each weekday, SPACE.com looks back at the history of spaceflight through photos (archive).

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the U.S. government agency in charge of the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Founded in 1958, NASA is a civilian space agency aimed at exploring the universe with space telescopes, satellites, robotic spacecraft, astronauts and more. The space agency has 10 major centers based across the U.S. and launches robotic and crewed missions from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida. It's astronaut corps is based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. To follow NASA's latest mission, follow the space agency on Twitter or any other social channel, of visit: nasa.gov.