Space Cover #179: Pioneer Venus ProgramAs a followup to my posting in week 94, the space cover of this week commemorates the launches of the two Pioneer-Venus spacecraft — an orbiter and multiprobe spacecraft.
The orbiter was launched on May 20, 1978 aboard Atlas-Centaur #50 and the multiprobe was launched on August 8, 1978 aboard Atlas-Centaur #51. Both spacecraft were designed to conduct a comprehensive investigation of Venus and its atmosphere.
Mission operations were conducted from Ames Research Center.

Both of the covers were serviced by the Ames Research Center stamp club and autographed by Pioneer Project Manager, Charles F. Hall.
John Macco