posted 03-20-2010 09:15 PM               

Space Cover #49, LANDSAT-C

The Space Cover of the Week honors one of the most successful science programs the Earth Resources Technology Satellites (ERTS) later renamed LANDSAT. These spacecraft demonstrated the usefullness of remote sensing data for land surveys, land management, water resources planning agricultural forecasting, forest management, sea ice movement and cartography.

Project Management for the ERTS (LANDSAT) spacecraft, the Delta launch vehicle the ground data handling segment (GDHS) and the worldwide tracking network rested with the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

The two covers shown above commemorate the launch of LANDSAT-C on March 5, 1978 aboard Delta #139. The top cover was issued by the GSFC Stamp Club. The club issues printed cachets to honor projects that GSFC played a major role. 500 covers were serviced by the club. The bottom cover was serviced by the GSFC Stamp Club at no charge to collectors. Stamp clubs at AMES and JPL have also provided cover servicing to collectors.

posted 03-21-2010 07:03 AM               

The addresses of the GSFC and JPL Stamp Clubs can be found on the Space Unit website.