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[b]Space Cover #190: Astronaut Flown Covers[/b] Official NASA policy prohibits private material being carried or flown on NASA events, but through the years collector material has nevertheless been involved in NASA events, tests and flights. Of course, the premier example are the infamous covers flown to the moon on Apollo 15 for a German stamp dealer, but many other covers have been flown or carried for space enthusiasts with no monetary motives. Besides covers flown on the USAF's X-2, the USAF/NASA X-15, NASA Lifting Body aircraft (all these shown in our weekly series earlier), other covers are known to have been flown, carried or located contrary to NASA policy. This week I've chosen several NASA Astronaut flown covers, some flown on military aircraft by NASA Astronaut Candidates prior to their reporting to NASA, and others on NASA aircraft on training flights. Shown here are covers flown on both Gulfstream II Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA-1 and -2), several T-38's, an F-15A Eagle and an FA-18A Hornet. Above, the top cover commemorates the delivery of the STA-1 Gulfstream II aircraft from Calverton, NY to JSC/Houston. The middle cover was flown on that flight by David Griggs, who was the Chief of STA Operations at JSC and later became one of the 35 Group 8 NASA Astronauts. The bottom cover was flown by Griggs on STA-2's 100th flight. This cover was sent to Dan Brandenstein at Whidbey Island NAS, WA, soon after being selected as an astronaut, but was flown later on a NASA T-38 after reporting to JSC. The letter from Brandenstein was in response to me advising him of NASA's policy against flying collector material. The top cover was flown on a T-38A at Edwards AFB, CA, ay Group 8 astronaut Steve Nagel. The bottom cover was flown aboard an F-15A Eagle also at Edwards by Group 8 Astronaut Loren Shriver. The top cover was flown on a T-38 at Ellington AFB, TX, at Mach .9 by Group 9 NASA Astronaut Roy Bridges, with a notation that this was his First Space Flight Readiness Training Flight. The middle cover was flown on an F-18A Hornet at Patuxent River NAS, MD, by Group 12 NASA Astronaut Andy Allen. The bottom cover was flown at Mach 1.2 by Group 12 astronaut Bill Readdy at Ellington and noted that it was "...a gorgeous day for a flight!"
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