U.S. space exploration history on U.S. stamps
Encyclopedia
With the advent of unmanned and manned space flight a whole new era of American history had presented itself. Keeping with the tradition of honoring the country's history on the face of U.S. postage stamps, the U.S. Post Office began honoring the various events with its commemorative postage stamp issues. The first U.S. Postage issue to depict a space vehicle was issued in 1948, the Fort Bliss issue. The first issue to commemorate a space project by name was the ECHO I communications satellite commemorative issue of 1960. The next to follow was the Project Mercury Issue of 1962. As U.S. space exploration
swung into full gear a variety of other commemorative issues followed in the ensuing decades, many of which bear accurate depictions of satellites, space capsules, lunar modules, space suits and other items of interest upon their faces.
The topic of Space Exploration history can not be as easily referred to with one word as can other topics such as 'birds' on stamps, or 'insects' on stamps, as the Space Exploration theme itself relates to a number of different subjects. It is nonetheless a very popular topic in of itself, as record numbers of First-Day covers for postage stamps with space themes will attest. The Project Mercury issue of 1962 was canceled more than 3 million times with 'First Day of Issue' cancellations, while the average number of First-Day cancels for other commemorative issues at that time was only around 500,000. In 1969, the Apollo VIII issue received 900,000 First-Day cancels while others received less than half this amount. As the advent of U.S. space exploration grew, so did the topic of Space Exploration on stamps.
has a long and diverse history and functioned in many capacities over the years. By February 1946, over 100 Operation Paperclip
scientists had arrived from Nazi Germany
to develop rockets and were attached to the Office of the Chief of Ordnance Corps, Research and Development Service, Suboffice (Rocket), headed by Major James P. Hamill.
This stamp was issued on the 100th anniversary of Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, in its honor. Third Assistant Postmaster General Joseph L. Lawler dedicated the stamp in El Paso on November 5, 1948. The issue depicts what appears to be a rocket designed after the V-2 in the center, which technically makes it a "space stamp" in the Topographical world of philately.
Based on findings made by Dr. Robert Goddard following World War I, the Germans hit a peak production of V-2's during 1944 and 1945 at Peenemunde. When they arrived in the United States, at Fort Bliss, they brought with them the knowledge of the V-2, and as such, the U.S. made arrangements with these scientists and employed their knowledge in developing rockets at Fort Bliss in Post War United States. It was this effort that led the way to the successful production of the great rockets that carried satellites and Astronaut
s into space.
The stamp's designer, Charles R. Chickering, intended the issue to salute the old as well as the new Fort Bliss and portray some of the highlights of the Fort's hundred-year history. Chickering, of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
, designed the stamp. C.A. Brooks engraved the vignette, and A.W. Christensen engraved the border, the lettering, and the numerals. The quantity issued was 64,561,000.
carrying Echo 1 on May 13, 1960, Echo 1A (commonly referred to as just Echo 1) was successfully put into a 944 to 1,048 mi orbit on August 12, 1960, by NASA
. The 100 ft. diameter balloon was made of ultra thin (0.0050 in) metalized Mylar polyester film and was successfully used to reflect transcontinental and intercontinental telephone, radio, and television signals. The satellite also aided in the calculation of atmospheric density and solar pressure due to its large area-to-mass ratio.
Because its shiny surface the large balloon-like satellite was also reflective of visible light rays, Echo 1A was visible to the naked eye over most of the Earth. Echo 1 was a passive communications satellite: it functioned as a reflector, not a transmitter. After it was placed in a low Earth orbit (LEO), a signal would be transmitted from Earth to the Echo satellite and then reflected or bounced off its surface, and then returned to Earth. It was the pioneer of communications satellites. Because it was brighter than most stars, it was seen by more people than any other man-made object in space at that time. Upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere ECHO 1A burned up on May 24, 1968.
This was the first 'Space Stamp' with an actual subject of a real space vessel, unlike the generic or symbolic rocket depicted in the Fort Bliss
issue of 1948. The U.S. Post Office issued this 4-cent Echo I "Communications for Peace" commemorative stamp through the Washington, D.C., post office on December 15, 1960. The stamp was produced and issued to honor the world's first communications satellite. Designed by Ervine Metzl
, the stamp was printed by the rotary process, electric-eye perforated, and issued in panes of fifty stamps each. Quantities issued totaled more than 120 million.
was the first human spaceflight program of the United States. It ran from 1959 through 1963 with the goal of putting a human in orbit around the Earth. The Mercury-Atlas 6 flight on February 20, 1962, was the first Mercury
flight to achieve this goal.
The Post Office Department honored this first orbital flight of a United States astronaut on February 20, 1962, when it released the Project Mercury commemorative stamp, placed on sale throughout the country at the exact hour Colonel John Glenn
's historic flight officially had returned to Earth safely.
This issue has somewhat of an unusual history. It was one of the first issues printed on the new Giori Press (named after its inventor, Gualtiero Giori). It employed a series of specially cut rubber rollers that applied two or three different colored inks on the same printing plate. As the new press was being used to print the Project Mercury stamp before the mission took place and in case the mission failed or was canceled, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
kept word about the new press and the stamp issue's production a secret. To further assure that the project be kept secret the designer of this issue, Charles R. Chickering, worked from his home and simply claimed that he was away on vacation. The stamps, waiting at post offices around the U.S., were sealed and marked "Top Secret". Only after Glenn's trip were the postmasters allowed to open the package and see what was inside.
The Project Mercury mission was indeed a success and on February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. Right after Glenn's safe return, the Post Office released the Project Mercury stamp. It became the first U.S. commemorative stamp issued nearly at the same time as the event occurred, released the exact hour the flight was officially completed.
The stamp features an image of the Mercury Friendship 7 capsule circling the earth, against a field of stars. The spacecraft is now housed at the National Air and Space Museum
, Washington, DC. Because the event was deemed so popular the number of quantities issued totaled more than 289 million, more than twice the average amount of quantities issued for commemorative postage issues of that time.
Though his work in the field was revolutionary, he was sometimes ridiculed by the public and in the press for his theories concerning spaceflight and therefore became protective of his privacy and his research work. Years after his death, as manned spaceflight finally became a reality, Goddard at long last came to be recognized as the man who pioneered modern rocketry and ultimately space exploration
.
On October 5, 1964, the U.S. Post Office issued a postage stamp commemorating Robert Goddard. The stamp depicts an image of Goddard next to a rocket launching from the Kennedy Space Center. The Post Office released the stamp issues at a ceremony held in New Mexico. Goddard's wife, Esther Goddard, attended the ceremony. She was given the honor of pressing the button launching two rockets, one of which flew some mile and a half into the air. The two rockets each carried 1,000 first day covers
, and after parachuting to the ground were recovered with the first day covers later sold to collectors. Designed by Robert J. Jones and printed on the Giori press, the quantities for this issue totaled more than 62 million.
's Gemini program
. It was the second manned Gemini flight, the tenth manned American flight and the 18th spaceflight of all time (includes X-15
flights over 100 kilometres (62.1 mi)). It was crewed by James McDivitt
and Edward White
.
The highlight of the mission was the first space walk by an American, during which White remained tethered outside the spacecraft for 22 minutes. Tied to a tether, White fired his oxygen powered "zip gun" and floated out of the capsule. He traveled fifteen feet (five meters) out, and began to experiment with maneuvering. He found it easy, especially the pitch and yaw, although he thought the roll would use too much fuel.
Two 5-cent complimentary stamps comprise one illustration of an astronaut during a space walk, honoring the space accomplishments of the United States. These issues were first placed on sale on September 29, 1967, at Kennedy Space Center
in Florida.
The offset press and intaglio press were combined to produce this issue in sheets bearing one horizontal plate number. Offset printed the red stripes in the flags on the astronaut's spacesuit and capsule and light blue sky areas, as well as the inscription on the astronaut stamp. The Giori press printed dark blue sky areas, the aqua earth, and black tones on the capsule and astronaut. The inscription on the spaceship stamp was white.
This issue was designed by Paul Calle
of Stamford, Connecticut
who based his design from photos taken on the Gemini IV mission. The issue was printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
. It was issued in panes of fifty, with an initial printing of 120 million.
Up until the time of the Apollo VIII mission all manned ventures into space were confined to brief flights into space or to orbiting the Earth. Apollo VIII was the first human spaceflight mission to leave Earth orbit; the first to be captured by and escape from the gravitational field of another celestial body; and the first crew to voyage and then return to planet Earth from another celestial body – Earth's Moon. The three-man crew of mission Commander Frank Borman
, Command Module Pilot James Lovell
, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders
became the first humans to see the far side of the Moon with their own eyes, as well as the first humans to see planet Earth from beyond low Earth orbit.
The mission was accomplished with the first manned launch of a Saturn V rocket. Apollo VIII was the second manned mission of the Apollo Program.
While orbiting the Moon each man on board read a section from the Biblical creation story (verses 1–10) from the Book of Genesis, and it is this unprecedented historical event that is theme of the Apollo VIII issue's design, the issue being inscribed with the words, In the beginning God... Borman finished the broadcast by wishing a Merry Christmas to everyone on Earth.
This issue was first released in Houston Texas on May 5, 1969. Basing his design on a photograph taken by the Apollo VIII astronauts and from the words they read from Genesis, Leonard E. Buckley designed the Apollo VIII commemorative issue of 1969. The issue was printed on the multi-color Giori Press. Quantities issued totaled more than 187 million.
mission landed the first humans on the Moon. Launched on July 16, 1969, the third lunar mission of NASA's Apollo Program was crewed by Commander Neil A. Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins
, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr
. On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon, while Collins orbited in the Command Module. The Apollo 11 mission reached President John F. Kennedy's goal of putting a man on the Moon's surface by the end of the 1960s.
On September 8, 1969, the U.S. Post office issued its first airmail stamp to depict a space exploration theme, the First Man on the Moon issue. The man depicted in the space suit
is Neil Armstrong taking man's first step on the moon. This issue was designed by Paul Calle. The quantities issued were more than 152 million making the issue quite common, and quite popular. Some issues are missing the red color resulting in the stripes of the flag emblem on Armstrong's arm being omitted making that issue quite scarce and quite expensive.
and astronauts. Two 8-cent stamps commemorating a decade of space achievements were placed on sale August 2, 1971, at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and Houston, Texas. First day covers were postmarked at two different post offices (Houston, Texas and Huntsville, Alabama, location of the two tracking stations.) rather than the usual one because of extraordinary popularity of the space program at the time of issuance.
This issue was designed by Robert T. McCall
of Paradise Valley, Arizona. Upon close examination of this issue one can see that it has an accurate depiction of the Lunar Rover, sitting on the Lunar surface. The Lunar landing module can also be seen in the background. This issue (pair) came in sheets of 50 (100 individual stamps), with an initial printing of 150 million.
, a science and engineering laboratory, was the United States' first space station, and the second space station visited by a human crew. It was put into orbit by a Saturn V rocket on 14 May 1973. It was also the only space station NASA launched alone. The 100-ton space station was in Earth's orbit from 1973 to 1979 and it was visited by crews three times in 1973 and 1974.
Circling 50 degrees north and south of the equator at an altitude of 435 kilometres (270.3 mi), Skylab
had an orbital period of 93 minutes. There were a plethora of UV astronomy experiments done during the Skylab lifetime, as well as detailed X-ray studies of the Sun. The station was active until July 11, 1979, when it fell out of orbit.
The 10-cent Skylab commemorative stamp first day of release took place at Houston, Texas, on May 14, 1974. This issue commemorates the first anniversary of the launching of Skylab, and depicts the station as it was repaired, complete with "umbrella" and missing the lost solar panel. The stamp was designed by Robert T. McCall and was issued in sheets of fifty, with an initial printing of 140 million.
launched Pioneer 10
to gather scientific data about the solar system's largest planet, Jupiter
, while the vessel was also receiving radio control and guidance signals and other information from Earth. The Pioneer space craft was expected to last for 21 months in the solar system and deliver accurate information over that period of time. The fastest man made object to enter space from Earth, the spacecraft was to begin collecting data at the Asteroid Belt
and Jupiter and continue to relay information about other areas and phenomena of the solar system.
After Pioneer 10 passed through the asteroid belt, Pioneer 11
, was launched on a similar trajectory.
Pioneer 10 became the first spacecraft to get close enough to Jupiter
to send back revelations about the properties and phenomena of the solar system's largest planet.
The 10-cent Pioneer commemorative stamp was issued on February 28, 1975, at Mountain View, California, and paid the domestic first-class rate for letters weighing less than one half ounce. Designed by Robert T. McCall and printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
on the Giori presses, the stamp shares numerous design elements with USA Scott 1557, the Mariner 10 Issue of 1975.
, Mariner 10
launched in November 1973. The mission's two- year plan used the gravitational pull of Venus to reach Mercury. The probe also used solar winds to help with locomotion when fuel ran low. Mariner 10 orbited the planets in the opposite direction of Earth's orbit.
Mariner's first photographed images, which revealed Venus
's dense cloud cover, reached NASA scientists in February 1974. Data collected by Mariner 10 helped determine Venus's rotation period and use of Earth's magnetic field. Photos of Mercury
revealed its cratered surface and its large scarps and plains. Research also recorded its radical temperature variations between night and day.
The 10-cent Mariner 10 commemorative stamp was issued on April 4, 1975, at Pasadena, California. It paid the domestic first-class rate for letters weighing less than a half ounce. The stamp shares numerous design elements with USA Scott 1556, and while they have different designers and dates of issue, the two are cataloged together under the heading "U.S. Unmanned Accomplishments in Space."
Designed by Roy Gjertson, the Mariner 10 commemorative postage issue was printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
in multi-color on the Giori presses.
Quantities issued totaled more than 158 million.
The U.S. Postal Service issued this setenant pair of two 10-cent multicolored stamps on July 15, 1975, at Kennedy Space Center
, Florida. Inexplicably, the circular program insignia on the left-hand stamp is rotated to the Soviet configuration, showing the red Soyuz section on the left. The Soviet Union
also released stamps of similar design (Russia Scott 4339–4340) at the same time. This denomination paid the domestic first-class rate for letters weighing less than half ounce.
Robert T. McCall designed the 'after link-up' image, and Anatoly Aksamit designed the 'before link-up' image. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing
produced the stamps on the Andreotti press in sheets of ninety-six stamps, panes of twenty-four. Quantities issued for this pair of postage issues totaled more than 161 million.
consisted of a pair of space probes sent to Mars
, Viking I and Viking II. Each vehicle was composed of two main parts, an orbiter designed to photograph the surface of Mars
from orbit, and a lander designed to study the planet from the surface. The orbiters also served as communication relays for the landers once they touched down.
Upon close examination one can discern the engraving of the landing component used to collect soil samples on Mars, the radio dish, landing gear and other equipment rendered by the engraver in this issue. The U.S. Postal Service released this issue at Hampton, Virginia, on July 20, 1978, the second anniversary of the Viking I lander's descent on to the Martian surface.
The 15-cent denomination paid the new domestic rate that had recently increased from 13-cents two months earlier for a first-class letter weighing less than half ounce. It was the second such stamp issued to fulfill that rate. Designed by Robert T. McCall, the issue was printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
on the Giori presses in sheets of 200 stamps which were then cut into panes of fifty stamps for sale at post offices.
First day of issue ceremony took place July 20, 1978, at Hampton, Va. Quantities issued totaled more than 158 million.
, and Pioneer 11
missions. The images were modeled by Clarance Holbert. The stamp design by Robert T. McCall.
, Mission STS-57, which took place on June 21, 1993, from Kennedy Space Center
, Florida. This issue was designed by Phil Jordan of Falls Church, Virginia. As an extra security measure, elliptical perforations were used on sheets of stamps to identify genuine issues from those that might be counterfeited. The postage stamps were manufactured by Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd. in the offset/intaglio process.
On November 19, 1998, in New York City, NY, the Post Office
there issued the Space Shuttle
Piggyback $11.75 definitive Express Mail postage stamp With all the fanfare surrounding the United States space program this topic had its ceremony and was held in conjunction with the special First Day of Issue grand event that was held in New York that year. This issue was also designed by Phil Jordan and was printed by the Banknote Corporation of America.
On June 22, 1995, in Anaheim, California, the U.S. Postal Office commemorated the Challenger Space Shuttle, STS-7, with the issuance of a 3-dollar Postage stamp Mail
. Designed by Phil Jordan of Falls Church, Virginia, the stamp features the Challenger Space Shuttle. The Name of the Space Shuttle name was inscribed in microtype and secretly blended it in to the design matrix to satisfy concern about matters of security. -- This was the first time that the Postal Office used an actual photograph from a NASA mission, instead of an illustration based on a photograph. -- This issue was printed by Ashton-Potter USA, Ltd., on the offset-intaglio printer.
Space exploration
Space exploration is the use of space technology to explore outer space. Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft....
swung into full gear a variety of other commemorative issues followed in the ensuing decades, many of which bear accurate depictions of satellites, space capsules, lunar modules, space suits and other items of interest upon their faces.
The topic of Space Exploration history can not be as easily referred to with one word as can other topics such as 'birds' on stamps, or 'insects' on stamps, as the Space Exploration theme itself relates to a number of different subjects. It is nonetheless a very popular topic in of itself, as record numbers of First-Day covers for postage stamps with space themes will attest. The Project Mercury issue of 1962 was canceled more than 3 million times with 'First Day of Issue' cancellations, while the average number of First-Day cancels for other commemorative issues at that time was only around 500,000. In 1969, the Apollo VIII issue received 900,000 First-Day cancels while others received less than half this amount. As the advent of U.S. space exploration grew, so did the topic of Space Exploration on stamps.
Fort Bliss 100th Anniversary Issue of 1948
Fort BlissFort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
has a long and diverse history and functioned in many capacities over the years. By February 1946, over 100 Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip was the Office of Strategic Services program used to recruit the scientists of Nazi Germany for employment by the United States in the aftermath of World War II...
scientists had arrived from Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
to develop rockets and were attached to the Office of the Chief of Ordnance Corps, Research and Development Service, Suboffice (Rocket), headed by Major James P. Hamill.
This stamp was issued on the 100th anniversary of Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, in its honor. Third Assistant Postmaster General Joseph L. Lawler dedicated the stamp in El Paso on November 5, 1948. The issue depicts what appears to be a rocket designed after the V-2 in the center, which technically makes it a "space stamp" in the Topographical world of philately.
Based on findings made by Dr. Robert Goddard following World War I, the Germans hit a peak production of V-2's during 1944 and 1945 at Peenemunde. When they arrived in the United States, at Fort Bliss, they brought with them the knowledge of the V-2, and as such, the U.S. made arrangements with these scientists and employed their knowledge in developing rockets at Fort Bliss in Post War United States. It was this effort that led the way to the successful production of the great rockets that carried satellites and Astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
s into space.
The stamp's designer, Charles R. Chickering, intended the issue to salute the old as well as the new Fort Bliss and portray some of the highlights of the Fort's hundred-year history. Chickering, of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency within the United States Department of the Treasury that designs and produces a variety of security products for the United States government, most notable of which is paper currency for the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve itself is...
, designed the stamp. C.A. Brooks engraved the vignette, and A.W. Christensen engraved the border, the lettering, and the numerals. The quantity issued was 64,561,000.
Project ECHO I, Issue of 1960
Following the failure of the Delta rocketDelta rocket
Delta is a versatile family of expendable launch systems that has provided space launch capability in the United States since 1960. There have been more than 300 Delta rockets launched, with a 95 percent success rate. Two Delta launch systems – Delta II and Delta IV – are in active use...
carrying Echo 1 on May 13, 1960, Echo 1A (commonly referred to as just Echo 1) was successfully put into a 944 to 1,048 mi orbit on August 12, 1960, by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
. The 100 ft. diameter balloon was made of ultra thin (0.0050 in) metalized Mylar polyester film and was successfully used to reflect transcontinental and intercontinental telephone, radio, and television signals. The satellite also aided in the calculation of atmospheric density and solar pressure due to its large area-to-mass ratio.
This was the first 'Space Stamp' with an actual subject of a real space vessel, unlike the generic or symbolic rocket depicted in the Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
issue of 1948. The U.S. Post Office issued this 4-cent Echo I "Communications for Peace" commemorative stamp through the Washington, D.C., post office on December 15, 1960. The stamp was produced and issued to honor the world's first communications satellite. Designed by Ervine Metzl
Ervine Metzl
Ervine Metzl was an American graphic artist and illustrator best known for his posters and postage stamp designs.-Biography:Ervine Metzl was born in Chicago in 1899 to Ignatz and Bertha Metzl, Jewish immigrants from Bohemia....
, the stamp was printed by the rotary process, electric-eye perforated, and issued in panes of fifty stamps each. Quantities issued totaled more than 120 million.
Project Mercury Issue of 1962
Project MercuryProject Mercury
In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...
was the first human spaceflight program of the United States. It ran from 1959 through 1963 with the goal of putting a human in orbit around the Earth. The Mercury-Atlas 6 flight on February 20, 1962, was the first Mercury
Mercury-Atlas 6
Mercury-Atlas 6 was a human spaceflight mission conducted by NASA, the space agency of the United States. As part of Project Mercury, MA-6 was the successful first attempt by NASA to place an astronaut into orbit. The MA-6 mission was launched February 20, 1962. It made three orbits of the Earth,...
flight to achieve this goal.
The Post Office Department honored this first orbital flight of a United States astronaut on February 20, 1962, when it released the Project Mercury commemorative stamp, placed on sale throughout the country at the exact hour Colonel John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
's historic flight officially had returned to Earth safely.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency within the United States Department of the Treasury that designs and produces a variety of security products for the United States government, most notable of which is paper currency for the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve itself is...
kept word about the new press and the stamp issue's production a secret. To further assure that the project be kept secret the designer of this issue, Charles R. Chickering, worked from his home and simply claimed that he was away on vacation. The stamps, waiting at post offices around the U.S., were sealed and marked "Top Secret". Only after Glenn's trip were the postmasters allowed to open the package and see what was inside.
The Project Mercury mission was indeed a success and on February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. Right after Glenn's safe return, the Post Office released the Project Mercury stamp. It became the first U.S. commemorative stamp issued nearly at the same time as the event occurred, released the exact hour the flight was officially completed.
The stamp features an image of the Mercury Friendship 7 capsule circling the earth, against a field of stars. The spacecraft is now housed at the National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
, Washington, DC. Because the event was deemed so popular the number of quantities issued totaled more than 289 million, more than twice the average amount of quantities issued for commemorative postage issues of that time.
Robert H. Goddard Issue of 1964
Robert Hutchings Goddard (October 5, 1882 – August 10, 1945) is widely recognized as the “father of rocketry,” as he pioneered the modern propulsion rocket based on his knowledge of math, engineering and physics. His accomplishments included creating the first rocket propelled using liquid fuel and developing the first rocket to use internal vanes for guidance. He launched his first rocket in March 1926. Goddard continued to achieve many firsts in the field of rocketry with funding from institutions such as the Smithsonian. In 1919, the Smithsonian Institution published Robert Goddard's groundbreaking work, A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes. Other than from sources like the Smithsonian, Goddard received little public support for his research during his lifetime. He was the first to recognize the scientific potential of liquid fuel rockets in space travel and was instrumental in bringing about the design and construction of those rockets needed to implement those ideas.Though his work in the field was revolutionary, he was sometimes ridiculed by the public and in the press for his theories concerning spaceflight and therefore became protective of his privacy and his research work. Years after his death, as manned spaceflight finally became a reality, Goddard at long last came to be recognized as the man who pioneered modern rocketry and ultimately space exploration
Space exploration
Space exploration is the use of space technology to explore outer space. Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft....
.
On October 5, 1964, the U.S. Post Office issued a postage stamp commemorating Robert Goddard. The stamp depicts an image of Goddard next to a rocket launching from the Kennedy Space Center. The Post Office released the stamp issues at a ceremony held in New Mexico. Goddard's wife, Esther Goddard, attended the ceremony. She was given the honor of pressing the button launching two rockets, one of which flew some mile and a half into the air. The two rockets each carried 1,000 first day covers
First day of issue
A First Day of Issue Cover or First Day Cover is a postage stamp on a cover, postal card or stamped envelope franked on the first day the issue is authorized for use within the country or territory of the stamp-issuing authority. Sometimes the issue is made from a temporary or permanent foreign or...
, and after parachuting to the ground were recovered with the first day covers later sold to collectors. Designed by Robert J. Jones and printed on the Giori press, the quantities for this issue totaled more than 62 million.
Accomplishments in Space Commemorative Issue of 1967
Gemini IV was a June 1965 manned space flight in NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Gemini program
Project Gemini
Project Gemini was the second human spaceflight program of NASA, the civilian space agency of the United States government. Project Gemini was conducted between projects Mercury and Apollo, with ten manned flights occurring in 1965 and 1966....
. It was the second manned Gemini flight, the tenth manned American flight and the 18th spaceflight of all time (includes X-15
North American X-15
The North American X-15 rocket-powered aircraft/spaceplane was part of the X-series of experimental aircraft, initiated with the Bell X-1, that were made for the USAAF/USAF, NACA/NASA, and the USN. The X-15 set speed and altitude records in the early 1960s, reaching the edge of outer space and...
flights over 100 kilometres (62.1 mi)). It was crewed by James McDivitt
James McDivitt
James Alton McDivitt is a former NASA astronaut and engineer who flew in the Gemini and Apollo programs. He commanded the Gemini 4 flight in which Edward H. White performed the first US space walk, and later the Apollo 9 flight which was the first manned Earth orbital test of the Apollo Lunar...
and Edward White
Edward Higgins White
Edward Higgins White, II was an engineer, United States Air Force officer and NASA astronaut. On June 3, 1965, he became the first American to "walk" in space. White died along with fellow astronauts Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee during a pre-launch test for the first manned Apollo mission at...
.
The highlight of the mission was the first space walk by an American, during which White remained tethered outside the spacecraft for 22 minutes. Tied to a tether, White fired his oxygen powered "zip gun" and floated out of the capsule. He traveled fifteen feet (five meters) out, and began to experiment with maneuvering. He found it easy, especially the pitch and yaw, although he thought the roll would use too much fuel.
Two 5-cent complimentary stamps comprise one illustration of an astronaut during a space walk, honoring the space accomplishments of the United States. These issues were first placed on sale on September 29, 1967, at Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
in Florida.
The offset press and intaglio press were combined to produce this issue in sheets bearing one horizontal plate number. Offset printed the red stripes in the flags on the astronaut's spacesuit and capsule and light blue sky areas, as well as the inscription on the astronaut stamp. The Giori press printed dark blue sky areas, the aqua earth, and black tones on the capsule and astronaut. The inscription on the spaceship stamp was white.
This issue was designed by Paul Calle
Paul Calle
Paul Calle was an American artist who was best known for the designs he created for postage stamps, including 40 that were released by the United States Postal Service, and others for stamps issued by the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Sweden and the United Nations...
of Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
who based his design from photos taken on the Gemini IV mission. The issue was printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency within the United States Department of the Treasury that designs and produces a variety of security products for the United States government, most notable of which is paper currency for the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve itself is...
. It was issued in panes of fifty, with an initial printing of 120 million.
Apollo VIII Issue of 1969
Frank Borman
Frank Frederick Borman, II is a retired NASA astronaut and engineer, best remembered as the Commander of Apollo 8, the first mission to fly around the Moon, making him, along with fellow crew mates Jim Lovell and Bill Anders, the first of only 24 humans to do so...
, Command Module Pilot James Lovell
Jim Lovell
James "Jim" Arthur Lovell, Jr., is a former NASA astronaut and a retired captain in the United States Navy, most famous as the commander of the Apollo 13 mission, which suffered a critical failure en route to the Moon but was brought back safely to Earth by the efforts of the crew and mission...
, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders
William Anders
William Alison Anders is a former United States Air Force officer, NASA astronaut, businessman, and engineer. He is, along with Apollo 8 crewmates Frank Borman and Jim Lovell, one of the first three persons to have left Earth orbit and traveled to the Moon .-Biography:Anders was born to Arthur...
became the first humans to see the far side of the Moon with their own eyes, as well as the first humans to see planet Earth from beyond low Earth orbit.
The mission was accomplished with the first manned launch of a Saturn V rocket. Apollo VIII was the second manned mission of the Apollo Program.
While orbiting the Moon each man on board read a section from the Biblical creation story (verses 1–10) from the Book of Genesis, and it is this unprecedented historical event that is theme of the Apollo VIII issue's design, the issue being inscribed with the words, In the beginning God... Borman finished the broadcast by wishing a Merry Christmas to everyone on Earth.
This issue was first released in Houston Texas on May 5, 1969. Basing his design on a photograph taken by the Apollo VIII astronauts and from the words they read from Genesis, Leonard E. Buckley designed the Apollo VIII commemorative issue of 1969. The issue was printed on the multi-color Giori Press. Quantities issued totaled more than 187 million.
First Man on Moon Commemorative Issue of 1969
The Apollo 11Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
mission landed the first humans on the Moon. Launched on July 16, 1969, the third lunar mission of NASA's Apollo Program was crewed by Commander Neil A. Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins
Michael Collins (astronaut)
Michael Collins is a former American astronaut and test pilot. Selected as part of the third group of fourteen astronauts in 1963, he flew in space twice. His first spaceflight was Gemini 10, in which he and command pilot John Young performed two rendezvous with different spacecraft and Collins...
, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr
Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin is an American mechanical engineer, retired United States Air Force pilot and astronaut who was the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing in history...
. On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon, while Collins orbited in the Command Module. The Apollo 11 mission reached President John F. Kennedy's goal of putting a man on the Moon's surface by the end of the 1960s.
On September 8, 1969, the U.S. Post office issued its first airmail stamp to depict a space exploration theme, the First Man on the Moon issue. The man depicted in the space suit
Space suit
A space suit is a garment worn to keep an astronaut alive in the harsh environment of outer space. Space suits are often worn inside spacecraft as a safety precaution in case of loss of cabin pressure, and are necessary for extra-vehicular activity , work done outside spacecraft...
is Neil Armstrong taking man's first step on the moon. This issue was designed by Paul Calle. The quantities issued were more than 152 million making the issue quite common, and quite popular. Some issues are missing the red color resulting in the stripes of the flag emblem on Armstrong's arm being omitted making that issue quite scarce and quite expensive.
Space Achievement Decade Issue of 1971
This 'Space Achievements' issue depicts the Earth, Sun, Lunar Module, the Lunar RoverLunar rover
The Lunar Roving Vehicle or lunar rover was a battery-powered four-wheeled rover used on the Moon in the last three missions of the American Apollo program during 1971 and 1972...
and astronauts. Two 8-cent stamps commemorating a decade of space achievements were placed on sale August 2, 1971, at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and Houston, Texas. First day covers were postmarked at two different post offices (Houston, Texas and Huntsville, Alabama, location of the two tracking stations.) rather than the usual one because of extraordinary popularity of the space program at the time of issuance.
This issue was designed by Robert T. McCall
Robert McCall (artist)
Robert McCall was a conceptual artist, known particularly for his works of space art. McCall was an illustrator for Life magazine in the 1960s, created promotional artwork for Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey and Richard Fleischer's production Tora! Tora! Tora! and worked as an artist...
of Paradise Valley, Arizona. Upon close examination of this issue one can see that it has an accurate depiction of the Lunar Rover, sitting on the Lunar surface. The Lunar landing module can also be seen in the background. This issue (pair) came in sheets of 50 (100 individual stamps), with an initial printing of 150 million.
Skylab Issue of 1974
SkylabSkylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
, a science and engineering laboratory, was the United States' first space station, and the second space station visited by a human crew. It was put into orbit by a Saturn V rocket on 14 May 1973. It was also the only space station NASA launched alone. The 100-ton space station was in Earth's orbit from 1973 to 1979 and it was visited by crews three times in 1973 and 1974.
Circling 50 degrees north and south of the equator at an altitude of 435 kilometres (270.3 mi), Skylab
Skylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
had an orbital period of 93 minutes. There were a plethora of UV astronomy experiments done during the Skylab lifetime, as well as detailed X-ray studies of the Sun. The station was active until July 11, 1979, when it fell out of orbit.
The 10-cent Skylab commemorative stamp first day of release took place at Houston, Texas, on May 14, 1974. This issue commemorates the first anniversary of the launching of Skylab, and depicts the station as it was repaired, complete with "umbrella" and missing the lost solar panel. The stamp was designed by Robert T. McCall and was issued in sheets of fifty, with an initial printing of 140 million.
Pioneer Commemorative Issue of 1975
In March 1972, scientists at NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
launched Pioneer 10
Pioneer 10
Pioneer 10 is a 258-kilogram robotic space probe that completed the first interplanetary mission to Jupiter, and became the first spacecraft to achieve escape velocity from the Solar System. The project was managed by the NASA Ames Research Center and the contract for the construction of the...
to gather scientific data about the solar system's largest planet, Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
, while the vessel was also receiving radio control and guidance signals and other information from Earth. The Pioneer space craft was expected to last for 21 months in the solar system and deliver accurate information over that period of time. The fastest man made object to enter space from Earth, the spacecraft was to begin collecting data at the Asteroid Belt
Asteroid belt
The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
and Jupiter and continue to relay information about other areas and phenomena of the solar system.
After Pioneer 10 passed through the asteroid belt, Pioneer 11
Pioneer 11
Pioneer 11 is a 259-kilogram robotic space probe launched by NASA on April 6, 1973 to study the asteroid belt, the environment around Jupiter and Saturn, solar wind, cosmic rays, and eventually the far reaches of the solar system and heliosphere...
, was launched on a similar trajectory.
Pioneer 10 became the first spacecraft to get close enough to Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
to send back revelations about the properties and phenomena of the solar system's largest planet.
The 10-cent Pioneer commemorative stamp was issued on February 28, 1975, at Mountain View, California, and paid the domestic first-class rate for letters weighing less than one half ounce. Designed by Robert T. McCall and printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency within the United States Department of the Treasury that designs and produces a variety of security products for the United States government, most notable of which is paper currency for the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve itself is...
on the Giori presses, the stamp shares numerous design elements with USA Scott 1557, the Mariner 10 Issue of 1975.
Mariner 10 Issue of 1975
Engineered to explore the orbits of Venus and MercuryMercury (planet)
Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
, Mariner 10
Mariner 10
Mariner 10 was an American robotic space probe launched by NASA on November 3, 1973, to fly by the planets Mercury and Venus. It was launched approximately two years after Mariner 9 and was the last spacecraft in the Mariner program...
launched in November 1973. The mission's two- year plan used the gravitational pull of Venus to reach Mercury. The probe also used solar winds to help with locomotion when fuel ran low. Mariner 10 orbited the planets in the opposite direction of Earth's orbit.
Mariner's first photographed images, which revealed Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
's dense cloud cover, reached NASA scientists in February 1974. Data collected by Mariner 10 helped determine Venus's rotation period and use of Earth's magnetic field. Photos of Mercury
Mercury (planet)
Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
revealed its cratered surface and its large scarps and plains. Research also recorded its radical temperature variations between night and day.
The 10-cent Mariner 10 commemorative stamp was issued on April 4, 1975, at Pasadena, California. It paid the domestic first-class rate for letters weighing less than a half ounce. The stamp shares numerous design elements with USA Scott 1556, and while they have different designers and dates of issue, the two are cataloged together under the heading "U.S. Unmanned Accomplishments in Space."
Designed by Roy Gjertson, the Mariner 10 commemorative postage issue was printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency within the United States Department of the Treasury that designs and produces a variety of security products for the United States government, most notable of which is paper currency for the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve itself is...
in multi-color on the Giori presses.
Quantities issued totaled more than 158 million.
Apollo–Soyuz Commemorative Issue of 1975
With the Apollo-Soyuz mission, two nations collaborated on a space project for the first time. In July 1975, the United States launched the manned Apollo Command to rendezvous with Russia's manned Soyuz module. A special docking station facilitated interaction among the astronauts. Television stations worldwide broadcast the historic docking and bi-national greeting made by the astronauts. The modules remained docked for two days, during which the teams performed numerous experiments.The U.S. Postal Service issued this setenant pair of two 10-cent multicolored stamps on July 15, 1975, at Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
, Florida. Inexplicably, the circular program insignia on the left-hand stamp is rotated to the Soviet configuration, showing the red Soyuz section on the left. The Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
also released stamps of similar design (Russia Scott 4339–4340) at the same time. This denomination paid the domestic first-class rate for letters weighing less than half ounce.
Robert T. McCall designed the 'after link-up' image, and Anatoly Aksamit designed the 'before link-up' image. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency within the United States Department of the Treasury that designs and produces a variety of security products for the United States government, most notable of which is paper currency for the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve itself is...
produced the stamps on the Andreotti press in sheets of ninety-six stamps, panes of twenty-four. Quantities issued for this pair of postage issues totaled more than 161 million.
Viking Mission to Mars, Issue of 1978
NASA's Viking programViking program
The Viking program consisted of a pair of American space probes sent to Mars, Viking 1 and Viking 2. Each spacecraft was composed of two main parts, an orbiter designed to photograph the surface of Mars from orbit, and a lander designed to study the planet from the surface...
consisted of a pair of space probes sent to Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, Viking I and Viking II. Each vehicle was composed of two main parts, an orbiter designed to photograph the surface of Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
from orbit, and a lander designed to study the planet from the surface. The orbiters also served as communication relays for the landers once they touched down.
Upon close examination one can discern the engraving of the landing component used to collect soil samples on Mars, the radio dish, landing gear and other equipment rendered by the engraver in this issue. The U.S. Postal Service released this issue at Hampton, Virginia, on July 20, 1978, the second anniversary of the Viking I lander's descent on to the Martian surface.
The 15-cent denomination paid the new domestic rate that had recently increased from 13-cents two months earlier for a first-class letter weighing less than half ounce. It was the second such stamp issued to fulfill that rate. Designed by Robert T. McCall, the issue was printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency within the United States Department of the Treasury that designs and produces a variety of security products for the United States government, most notable of which is paper currency for the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve itself is...
on the Giori presses in sheets of 200 stamps which were then cut into panes of fifty stamps for sale at post offices.
First day of issue ceremony took place July 20, 1978, at Hampton, Va. Quantities issued totaled more than 158 million.
Space Achievement Issue
On May 21, 1981, the Post Office released the Space Achievement commemorative issue, 18-cent stamps, in a block of eight format, one image being shared by four individual stamps, with four more aside them depicting various space exploration imagery. First day of issue occurred at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The four central stamps depict the Space Shuttle in its various modes of operation. The central theme of this issue involves the first actual 'in space' flights of the Space Shuttle and also pays tribute to twenty years of U.S. manned space exploration. The other stamps to the left and right sides are honoring the efforts of those who partook in the historical Moon walk, SkylabSkylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
, and Pioneer 11
Pioneer 11
Pioneer 11 is a 259-kilogram robotic space probe launched by NASA on April 6, 1973 to study the asteroid belt, the environment around Jupiter and Saturn, solar wind, cosmic rays, and eventually the far reaches of the solar system and heliosphere...
missions. The images were modeled by Clarance Holbert. The stamp design by Robert T. McCall.
Space Shuttle Issues
The U.S. Space Shuttle stamp of 1995 depicts the famous liftoff of the Endeavour Space ShuttleSpace Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
, Mission STS-57, which took place on June 21, 1993, from Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
, Florida. This issue was designed by Phil Jordan of Falls Church, Virginia. As an extra security measure, elliptical perforations were used on sheets of stamps to identify genuine issues from those that might be counterfeited. The postage stamps were manufactured by Ashton-Potter (USA) Ltd. in the offset/intaglio process.
On November 19, 1998, in New York City, NY, the Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
there issued the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
Piggyback $11.75 definitive Express Mail postage stamp With all the fanfare surrounding the United States space program this topic had its ceremony and was held in conjunction with the special First Day of Issue grand event that was held in New York that year. This issue was also designed by Phil Jordan and was printed by the Banknote Corporation of America.
On June 22, 1995, in Anaheim, California, the U.S. Postal Office commemorated the Challenger Space Shuttle, STS-7, with the issuance of a 3-dollar Postage stamp Mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
. Designed by Phil Jordan of Falls Church, Virginia, the stamp features the Challenger Space Shuttle. The Name of the Space Shuttle name was inscribed in microtype and secretly blended it in to the design matrix to satisfy concern about matters of security. -- This was the first time that the Postal Office used an actual photograph from a NASA mission, instead of an illustration based on a photograph. -- This issue was printed by Ashton-Potter USA, Ltd., on the offset-intaglio printer.
See also
- AerophilatelyAerophilatelyAerophilately is the branch of philately that specializes in the study of airmail. Philatelists have observed the development of mail transport by air from its beginning, and all aspects of airmail service have been extensively studied and documented by specialists.- Scope :The scope of...
- Airmails of the United StatesAirmails of the United StatesAirmails of the United States or U.S. Air Mail relates to the servicing of flown mails by the U.S. postal system within the United States, its possessions, and/or territories, marked as "Via Air Mail" , appropriately franked, and afforded any then existing class or sub-class of U.S...
- List of United States airmail stamps
- Postage stamps and postal history of the United States
- Soviet space exploration history on Soviet stampsSoviet space exploration history on Soviet stampsThe history of Soviet space exploration has been well documented on the country's stamps. These include not only the notable accomplishments in space flight, including mankind's first satellite, Sputnik 1, first animal in space , first human in space and Earth orbit , first Moon impact and...
- Topical stamp collectingTopical stamp collectingTopical or thematic stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps relating to a particular subject or concept. Topics can be almost anything, from stamps on stamps, birds on stamps, to famous physicians, to the history of England.- Background :...