Vintage 1986 NASA Atlas Centaur Rocket Launch & Voyager Aircraft Photo Set USSEA For Sale

This listing features a highly rare, historically significant set of two original 1986 aerospace media and publication prints. These are not modern reproductions or standard consumer glossy photos. They are authentic, matte-finish editorial layout assets used directly in the production of prominent aviation and space magazines in late 1986. Both pieces retain their original archival labels on the backing boards, providing impeccable provenance and exceptional value for serious collectors of Space Race history and aviation photojournalism.The first piece is an official media-distribution asset provided by the United States Space Education Association News Operations Division. Titled "Back on Track: The 66th Atlas Centaur Launch," this historic photograph captures the triumphant liftoff of the Atlas-Centaur AC-66 rocket on September 17, 1986, carrying a military communications satellite. Published in the November/December 1986 issue of Space Age Times, this image holds massive historical weight as it documented America's critical and highly publicized return to flight following the tragic Space Shuttle Challenger disaster earlier that year. The original USSEA tracking label is fully intact on the back.The second piece is an exceptional editorial print of the famous Rutan Voyager aircraft, captured by renowned corporate and editorial photographer Christopher Springmann. This striking photograph shows the aircraft flying above a dense deck of clouds, casting its distinct twin-boom shadow. It was submitted as an official photojournalism entry and published in the October/November 1986 issue of the Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine, anchoring a feature story right before the Voyager made history in December 1986 by completing the first non-stop, unrefueled flight around the world. The back features Springmann's original photography studio label.Both prints feature a professional matte finish, which was explicitly chosen by 1980s publishing houses to avoid scanner glare during layout production. They remain housed in their vintage mid-century frames, which have protected the delicate paper and their crucial authentication labels for decades. The backing boards also include original property stickers from their previous owner, Capt. D. Skrobiakowski, adding a wonderful layer of military/aerospace provenance. This is an incredible opportunity to own a matching pair of verified, museum-quality pieces of 1986 aerospace history. Please see the detailed photos of the backing labels for full authentication. Both measure 12”x10”. From pet and smoke free home.