posted 04-01-2012 06:16 AM               

Space Cover #155: Erin Creek Missile Launch

May 31, 1997 was a proud day in my household — we successfully launched an excess Air Force Thor IRBM from our backyard on Erin Creek Court in Houston. George Goldey was kind enough to issue one of his cachets to commemorate the event on a #10 envelope (above), although the USPS postage sticker has faded badly since then. Anyway, I'm not sure where the Thor ended up, but the liftoff blast finally got rid of all of those pesky fire-ant mounds in my backyard (those of you who live in the Southern U.S. will know how important THAT is...). And a few pesky neighbors too! Plus I got to make some new found friends in the Houston Fire Department, and Police Department, and FAA...

OK, in case you still believe the above... April Fools!!!

This cover was actually sent by our buddy Steve Durst (Stevedd241, another SCOTW contributor) to me back then to carry a space cover or two that we had traded. He scanned in one of Goldey's classic space cachets, and added the words about "First Missile Launch from Erin Creek" to make this gag cachet.

So, for this April Fool's Day — does anyone else have any gag or humorous space covers?

posted 04-08-2012 07:33 PM               

After learning that NASA would carry covers for the USPS on the STS-8 shuttle flight, I wrote NASA to have my covers carried too, but was refused, as I expected.

So I prepared this cover (one of 33) from my FMF Local Post to be cancelled on the launch date at KSC, with notation: "This cover refused by NASA to fly aboard space shuttle 8 mission."

posted 04-09-2012 04:54 PM               

Front of a period comedy postcard anticipating pandemonium for the close approach of the Comet Holmes to Austria and the Earth in 1899. Note the photographer trying to take a picture of all of this, the local fire fighters out with a hose and a ladder, couples trying to get those last kisses in, a nearby aerial balloon occupant observing the event, and a dog hiding under the bed with the note in small letters, “comet near the Earth” and in large letters, “Weltuntergang,” that is, “World Doomsday.” Very subtle!