posted 11-08-2014 02:06 AM               

Supporting the operation as a secondary option for Orion's recovery will be the USNS Salvor (T-ARS-52), which will be used to load the spacecraft onto its aft deck if for whatever reason it cannot enter the well deck of the USS Anchorage.

posted 12-01-2014 12:53 PM               

There is a new NASA remotely piloted unmanned aircraft system (UAS), named Ikhana, that will be used Dec. 4 to capture video of the Orion crew module as the spacecraft descends through the atmosphere into the Pacific Ocean.

The aircraft's camera, mounted on the plane's underside, will generate a live video feed of EFT-1's descent through parachute deployment and splashdown.

A pilot will fly the UAS from the Ikhana ground control station located at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB, CA, while a sensor operator will point the optical camera for visual sighting of the module.

Might be a good idea to have some Orion space covers processed for Ikhana's role in NASA's EFT-1 maiden flight.

posted 12-03-2014 03:44 PM               

The top cover shown is double canceled for the Orion spacecraft's first motion, the start of the rollout from KSC on November 11. The second cancel is for the spacecraft's arrival at its launch pad at CCAFS on November 12.

Individual single cancel covers are available for the start of rollout at KSC ($2) and arrival at the launch pad at CC ($2). The double cancel covers are $3 each.

posted 12-03-2014 09:07 PM               

For tomorrow's planned Dec. 4 liftoff of EFT-1, if on schedule and not delayed, I will be visiting — with a few hundred Orion covers in hand — the postal stations of KSC, CC, and MI (Merritt Island). I am hoping to have all the postal work completed on the same day within three to four hours after the launch of Orion's maiden orbital flight test.

posted 12-04-2014 02:22 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Ken Havekotte:
I will be visiting — with a few hundred Orion covers in hand — the postal stations of KSC, CC, and MI (Merritt Island)

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posted 12-06-2014 04:17 PM               

Altogether, there were five (5) post offices visited for processing Orion covers; first at KSC main postal unit on the space center, next was the Cape Canaveral facility near the port, in line next heading south on A1A to Cocoa Beach, Patrick AFB, and ending up with Merritt Island on SR3, just about a full circle it would seem of postal travel locations on the Space Coast.

Within 30 minutes after Orion's maiden liftoff from the Cape-side, I left the Orion news center, my launch viewing station at Kennedy, and headed over to the first post office stop located inside the KSC Headquarters Building.

The round trip took just over 5 hours from start to finish, and needless to say, it had been a busy launch morning with some traffic delays, but not too bad considering that it seemed like a shuttle launch here with EFT-1's introduction to space flight.

My Orion covers were well received by the postal clerks in charge from each post office. All the covers that were with me were processed on site, actual launch day morning, while mostly at the customer service counters. But the quality of some hand stamp cancel devices used were not of the best condition, though.

posted 12-06-2014 07:25 PM               

Heck, going on for several years now, I can't even recall having covers processed at either the Patrick AFB or Cocoa Beach postal stations. The Titusville P.O. may also fall in this category as well.

The majority of space covers--just about all of them--these days are being serviced and processed at both KSC and CC, and sometimes on rare occasions, Merritt Island (MI).

posted 12-07-2014 07:33 AM               

But attempted contact earlier with the USS Anchorage relating to its possible cooperation with collectors' covers resulted in no replies. So whether or not collectors' covers will receive anything positive from the Orion's recovery ship, and the USNS Salvor, remains to be seen.

Another recovery cover possibility involves the return of the USS Anchorage, with the Orion spacecraft, to its home port, the San Diego Naval Base, scheduled for Monday.

This collector sent covers there to be canceled for the ship's arrival and it remains to be seen if this attempt will be successful. The covers were sent Saturday from Georgia and it's doubtful the covers will be delivered on the day of arrival and if not, if the Postmaster there will honor a late request with proper (back-dated) cancels.

posted 12-07-2014 07:53 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob M:
But attempted contact earlier with the USS Anchorage relating to its possible cooperation with collectors' covers resulted in no replies.

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What was the method of contact?

posted 12-07-2014 08:17 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Ken Havekotte:
Might be a good idea to have some Orion space covers processed for Ikhana's role in NASA's EFT-1 maiden flight.

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By any chance, did anyone do this that might have some extras with day of cancellations from the Armstrong Flight Center?

posted 12-07-2014 08:32 AM               

But the USS Anchorage's non-response to emails may have been to keep word from spreading that they would honor collectors' cover requests and then receive too many.

posted 12-07-2014 08:39 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob M:
I sent an email to the USS Anchorage's PAO several weeks go.

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The best way to go about talking to them is to call and hope they're available at the time you do so.

posted 12-07-2014 09:07 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Bob M:
.... but that is bad news concerning the USNS Salvor indicating no cancels.

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posted 12-07-2014 12:35 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Mike_The_First:
By any chance, did anyone do this that might have some extras with day of cancellations from the Armstrong Flight Center?

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posted 12-07-2014 07:30 PM               

From what we're hearing, unfortunately, it doesn't look too good for us space cover collectors as Bob M. and others here have noted thus far in acquiring any appropriate ship cancels (even at the San Diego Naval Base) from either the USS Anchorage and USS Salvor for their crucial roles in supporting EFT-1.

But as Tom pointed out there are no aboard postal cancel devices from such vessels.

I am thinking, though, that at least a few of the Navy ship workers and sailors would have an interest in commemorating their ship's significant role in recovering the Orion spacecraft.

Hopefully we'll be able to "discover" some prepared postal covers with at least some sort of provided ship rubber stamp impressions along with a postmark at the base port either for departure, return, or both.

I would bet 100 different space covers that someone; either a collector, ship/ base port/and-or other EFT-1 involved personnel in the San Diego area or elsewhere would surface such covers within this month.

posted 12-17-2014 03:01 PM               

The space cover interest in EFT-1 has been overwhelming thus far, but there wasn't too much action here the first week after the maiden orbital flight test.

All the sudden, with Week 2 after the flight, everything just picked up -- and still is going strong!

posted 12-18-2014 03:40 PM               

Only 71 of them were printed in a "full conversion" format, as Brian will tell you. He goes on to say they're printed flat, "then I cut, fold, and glue each one of them by hand."

Each issue is numbered by Brian at bottom towards the left side along with his initials. Nice work, indeed, Brian!