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United States' Space-Topical Stamps

The following provides illustrations, issue dates, Scott catalog numbers and related notes for each stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service commemorating human space exploration efforts.


Fort Bliss Centennial | Nov. 5, 1948 | Scott No.: 976


Echo 1 - Communications For Peace | December 15, 1960 | Scott No.: 1173


Project Mercury - U.S. Man In Space | February 20, 1962 | Scott No.: 1193

Issued to commemorate the orbital flight of John Glenn, it was secretly held at post offices until his successful splashdown.


Robert H. Goddard | October 4, 1964 | Scott No.: C69


Space Walk & Gemini Capsule | Sept. 29, 1967 | Scott No.: 1331/2

Apollo 8
May 5, 1969
Scott No.: 1371

First Man On The Moon
September 9, 1969
Scott No.: C76

A die for this issue was flown to the Moon on Apollo 11.

United States In Space - A Decade Of Space Achievement, August 2, 1971, Scott No.: 1434/35


Skylab
May 14, 1974
Scott No.: 1529

Pioneer - Jupiter
February 28, 1975
Scott No.: 1556

Mariner 10 - Venus/Mercury
April 4, 1975
Scott No.: 1557

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
July 15, 1975
Scott No.: 1569/70

The top issue was a U.S. design, the bottom was Soviet. An identical set was issued in the USSR with cyrillic text.

Viking Mission To Mars
July 20, 1978
Scott No.: 1759

Space Achievement, May 21, 1981, Scott No.: 1912-1919


Universal Postal Congress
November 28, 1985
Scott No.: C122/4/5

The theme of these four issues was potential mail delivery methods for the future.

Apollo 11 20th Anniversary
July 20, 1989
Scott No.: 2419

Future Shuttle
May 22, 1991
Scott No.: 2543

Space Exploration
October 1, 1991
Scott No.: 2568-77

International Cooperation In Space
May 29, 1992
Scott No.: 2631-4

As with the Apollo- Soyuz issue, these stamps were also released in Russia (in a slightly larger format and with cyrillic text).

Theodore von Karman
August 31, 1992
Scott No.: 2699

Apollo 11 25th Anniversary
July 20, 1994
Scott No.: 2841

Apollo 11 25th Anniversary
July 20, 1994
Scott No.: 2842

500,000 of these were flown in space aboard Endeavour in August 1994.

Challenger Priority Mail
June 22, 1995
Scott No.: 2544

Issued twice, in 1995 and then in 1996 with minor color changes.

Endeavour Express Mail
August 4, 1995
Scott No.: 2544a

Mars Pathfinder, December 10, 1997, Scott No.: 3178

Third U.S. issue to incorporate hidden text — "Mars Pathfinder, July 4, 1997" and the letters "USPS" — not visible to the naked eye.


Shuttle Landing Priority Mail
November 9, 1998
Scott No.: 3261

Hidden text lists each orbiter's name. Endeavour is misspelled.

Shuttle Landing Express Mail
November 19, 1998
Scott No.: 3262

Hidden text lists each orbiter's name. Endeavour is misspelled.

U.S. Launches Satellites
May 26, 1999
Scott No.: 3187d

Issued as part of the 1950's set of the "Celebrate The Century" program.

Man Walks On The Moon
September 17, 1999
Scott No.: 3188c

Issued as part of the 1960's set of the "Celebrate The Century" program.

Pioneer 10
November 18, 1999
Scott No.: 3189i

Issued as part of the 1970's set of the "Celebrate The Century" program.

Space Shuttle Program
January 12, 2000
Scott No.: 3190a

Issued as part of the 1980's set of the "Celebrate The Century" program.

Edwin Powell Hubble, Date: April 10, 2000, Scott No.: 3384-88


Return To Space
May 2, 2000
Scott No.: 3191h

Issued as part of the 1990's set of the "Celebrate The Century" program.

Space Achievement, Date: July 7-11, 2000, Scott No.: 3409-13

15 different issues including the nation's first pentagonal and round stamps as well as the first holographic issue.


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