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  Space Cover 355: Khrushchev Mars 3 cover

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Author Topic:   Space Cover 355: Khrushchev Mars 3 cover
cvrlvr99
Member

Posts: 139
From: Arlington, TX
Registered: Aug 2014

posted 02-13-2016 06:06 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for cvrlvr99   Click Here to Email cvrlvr99     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Space Cover of the Week, Week 355, February 14, 2016

Space Cover 355: Sergei Khrushchev Mars 3 cover

Nine days after the Mars 2 launch, on May 29, 1971, Mars 3 lifted off on a Proton rocket. It successfully landed instruments on the surface of Mars but they were destroyed in a ferocious sand storm within minutes of the landing. 236 if these covers from Tartu in the USSR were made by an individual (even though the rubber stamp is referred to as a "Club Cachet." The signature is that of Sergei Khrushchev, the son of the former leader of the Soviet Union, Nikolai Krushchev.

Several decades ago, Les Winick wrote to Kniga, the Soviet agency for foreign trade asking about Tartu cancelled envelopes for space events. They replied by stating that Tartu covers were "illegal", and Les shared that information with the Space Unit. As a result, collecting Tartu covers took a nosedive. But, what Kniga didn't tell Les was that the Soviet government had forbade the growing capitalistic trend by individuals and stamp clubs, in creating covers for Soviet space events because they were being sold, for profit, to Western dealers.

Therefore, the "CACHETS" were illegal, but the cancellations were applied at a legitimate post office and thus, that portion of the cover was a legitimate cancel. It is possible that some of the Soviet club cachets were backdated. There is no way of knowing that. But until proven otherwise, I intended to collect covers from Tartu for events that were not commemorated with cancelled covers anywhere else (except for the backdated covers made by the Kniga agency which were never used for mailing).

Sergei Khrushchev, Who Led the Development of the Proton Rocket

Sergei Khrushchev followed his interest in aerospace, a path that took him to Vladimir Chelomei's Design Bureau. There he led the development of the Proton rocket, which Chelomei had proposed as a launch vehicle for a two-man lunar flyby in 1966 and as the booster for Chelomei's proposed military space station.

However, Sergei Korolev's design bureau, led by the famous designer of the Russian ICBM and the head of the Soviet Space Program wanted the moon program themselves.. Korolev curried political favor for his role in designing the Soviet ICBM and the launching of Sputniks and other flights. But, according to Khrushchev, Korolev lacked the design resources required to win the space race — resources in which the Chelomei Design Bureau had already invested for the development of the Proton rocket. Chelomei's team was making headway on the project when Korolev had their contract cancelled in 1965, a late reversal for the Soviet Union that cost them valuable time in the Space Race, per Khrushchev. Although Korolev's meddling may have cost the Soviets the Space Race, it didn't stop work on the Proton rocket.

The Chelomei Design Bureau envisioned the Proton winning the Space Race and as a platform for the military "Zvezda" space station, but in real life it has seen use in deploying :vehicles toward Mars; civilian satellites; and modules as well a supply vehicles for the International Space Station.

Prior to emigrating from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1991, Dr. Khrushchev worked in various high-level engineering positions. From 1958 to 1968, Dr. Khrushchev worked as an engineer, then later as a deputy section head in charge of guidance systems for missile and space design. In this capacity, he worked on cruise missiles for submarine craft, military and research spacecraft, moon vehicles, and the "Proton" space booster.

fimych
Member

Posts: 228
From: Boston MA, USA
Registered: Jun 2015

posted 02-13-2016 10:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for fimych   Click Here to Email fimych     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The issue of the Soviet "club" covers is quite interesting. The peak came in 1961-63, each club got an official quota for printing covers and applying the cancellations. Even the kids philatelic sections in the young scouts (pioneers) municipal societies. According to my conversation with the experienced collectors, the process was tightly supervised by the authorities even the colors of the cancellation and particular stamps were regulated. In 1963 there was a very aggressive article in "Philately" magazine, comparing club covers to a “black market business” and putting them inline with western “negative” culture, from this point the fall began. In 1966/67 all clubs have been formally banned from issuing the covers. The covers that appear after this time are “club-type” and produced by individuals, sometimes printed abroad and many backdated (like famous Baikonur Karaganda covers). The most notable – Tarty, Liepaja, Magadan, Baikonur, Leningrad. At least one court trial is known for making such covers – for 20th anniversary of Gagarin flight covers in Vinnitsa post office. Although the person have not got into prison, the process was very painful. To my observation, Tartu covers began in 1962 and lasted until mid 70th. The latest possibly for ASTP flight. Many fakes and reprints are also exist.

From the philatelic point, CLUB covers are not appreciated by modern Russian philatelic community, nor by astro-philatelists, making them sort of outlaws. As I spoke to one person, known for his collection of the club covers – the young people are not interested in this “souvenirs” any more. There were several attempts to catalogue and rate Soviet club covers, but none of them was anyway close to cover all the varieties and give enough details. In 90s-2000s, the club covers appeared once again (Pskov is possibly the most well-known), but were simply overshadowed by private issues.

All times are CT (US)

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