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  PostNL: André Kuipers' PromISSe mission

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Author Topic:   PostNL: André Kuipers' PromISSe mission
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42985
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-22-2011 08:43 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
PostNL release
Unique stamp sheetlet and collection of postcards of PostNL to mark ESA astronaut André Kuipers' PromISSe Mission

To mark ESA astronaut André Kuipers' PromISSe mission, PostNL composed a unique collection of space postcards and stamp sheetlet in cooperation with the European Space Agency.


Credit: ESA

Above: The first postcard was formally handed over to Franco Ongaro, Director of ESTEC, on the right, by Guido de Wit (middle), Director E-Commerce PostNL Data and Document Management at the launch event in the Space Expo in Noordwijk on 21 December. They were accompanied by Rob Van Der Bergh, director of Space Expo.

The postcard collection consists of a series of 34 cards with images from space with the themes: cities, wonders of the world and space. These cards are only available online on kaartwereld.nl or the KaartWereld app for smart phones and tablets.

The stamp sheetlet is a limited edition and includes three postcards from the collection of kaartwereld.nl. This kit can be ordered on the website PostNL. The three special stamps show special images of André Kuipers and space. We see André Kuipers during his last space trip, during a training session and from the International Space Station.

KaartWereld is an online service of PostNL where you can produce and send greeting cards online via your smartphone, tablet or kaartwereld.nl. Postcards created before 18.00 hours are delivered the next day.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42985
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-11-2012 08:21 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
André Kuipers logbook
A postcard from space for Emma and the WE Foundation

Today I sent Emma a birthday card from space. She is eleven years old today. Emma has a rare disease: MPS VI, or Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome. Only about 1000 people in the world are diagnosed with MPS VI. That might not seem many, but for the people who suffer from the disease that number is of course meaningless… Aside from MPS VI there are many more rare diseases that receive little attention and little funding for research. Even so, children and their loved ones suffer from these illnesses. I hope that we can change this. That is why I became an ambassador for the WE Foundation which is seeking cures for these diseases.

PostNL asked me a few months ago if I was willing to help them with a new service called KaartWereld. This service makes it possible to send a postcard easily via internet or telephone which is then delivered by normal postal service. It seemed like a nice idea, as long as I could send my card to Emma. This way I could congratulate her on her birthday and she will be happy to receive the first ever postcard from space. In addition we would draw attention to the WE Foundation, MPS VI and other rare diseases in general.

Photo from the Cupola

It is possible to upload your own photo with the KaartWereld postcard service. I took a picture of myself in the Cupola module which has beautiful windows. ESA built the Cupola for the ISS and it was launched in February 2010. It is by far the favourite place of the astronauts on board, as Earth can be seen very well through the big window. Through the six smaller windows you can enjoy a 360 degree panoramic view. The text I wrote on the postcard is:

Hello Emma, Happy Birthday. It is very special to celebrate your birthday from space and for me to send you the first ever postcard from space. I took a picture of the International Space Station for you. I am enjoying the most magnificent views of our fragile planet from up here. When I am back on earth, shall we meet at ESA in Noordwijk? Greetings from the ISS, André.

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