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Author
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Topic: Philatelic covers flown on unmanned space projects
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cosmos-walter
Member Posts: 382
From: Salzburg, Austria
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 08-03-2012 08:53 AM
   
This cover was sold as being flown on board Foton-9 by Goede company from Aschaffenburg, Germany. Unfortunately they did not answer my request for further information. Do you think, it actually flew on this mission? Moreover, I am looking for information on covers flown on other unmanned space projects. Is anybody of you aware of any proof they actually flew into space (this means: higher than 100 km according to FIA rules) or surrounded earth, respectively? Any thoughts and information are welcome. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2207
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 08-04-2012 08:39 PM
The Chinese flew quite a few covers on their unmanned return capsules over the years. Usually impeccably documented with a notarial certificate. |
Tom
Member Posts: 1213
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 08-05-2012 08:48 AM
If I remember correctly, weren't covers flown on ATV-3 and returned to earth on Dragon recently? |
cosmos-walter
Member Posts: 382
From: Salzburg, Austria
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 11-02-2012 04:20 AM
Russian re-entering scientific satellite Foton-9 was launched from Cosmodrome Plesetsk on 6/14/1994. Dealer Michael Goede from Aschaffenburg, Germany sold covers as being flown with Foton-9. Although Plesetsk is in the northern part of Russia, they have Kasakh stamps. Are these covers actually flown into space? |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 367
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 11-02-2012 12:37 PM
quote:
Originally posted by cosmos-walter:
Is anybody of you aware of any proof they actually flew into space (this means: higher than 100 km according to FIA rules) or surrounded earth, respectively?
Why would this be any different than a manned mission? What makes a COA from a manned mission any more valid than one from a unmanned mission? |
cosmos-walter
Member Posts: 382
From: Salzburg, Austria
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 11-03-2012 04:49 AM
Space Mail from manned missions is well explored. We know the covers, astronauts took to the Moon with Apollo missions. Beginning with Apollo 17 it has been forbidden to astronauts to take covers with Apollo or space shuttles into space. Beginning with Salyut-6 cosmonauts have postmarks and other cachets on board space stations. These cancellation allow that space mail can be examined by specialized stamp experts. Their expertise is even more reliable than a COA issued by an involved cosmonaut, who might overlook a good fake.
Chinese space mail has a notary's dry seal and is accompanied by a certificate issued by this notary. There are much more unmanned than manned space missions. Most likely some of them carried mail without me being aware of this. Fakes of both manned and unmanned space mail exist. If I have a question regarding the authenticity of manned space mail, I easily can asked an involved cosmonaut. As for unmanned project it usually is much more difficult to find out somebody who has the knowledge and freely discusses this matter with an unknown collector from Austria. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 367
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 11-03-2012 06:07 AM
quote:
Originally posted by cosmos-walter:
These cancellation allow that space mail
So what makes cancelled mail more valuable than uncancelled if they both flew in space? Also, what says that the cancellation was done in space? |
cosmos-walter
Member Posts: 382
From: Salzburg, Austria
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 11-03-2012 07:06 AM
For stamp collectors an official postmark issued by Soviet, Russian, US or French postal service significantly increases the value of a space mail cover. Cancellation devices which were used on board a space station only are a better prove that the item was on board than every COA. Moreover, some cosmonauts photograph their mail floating in ISS. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 367
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 11-03-2012 08:19 AM
quote:
Originally posted by cosmos-walter:
For stamp collectors an official postmark issued by Soviet, Russian, US or French postal service significantly increases the value of a space mail cover.
Which is meaningless when it comes to proof of flight. quote:
Originally posted by cosmos-walter:
Cancellation devices which were used on board a space station only are a better prove that the item was on board than every COA.
That doesn't prove they were flown. They can be cancelled pre or post flight. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 25671
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-03-2012 08:38 AM
The Soviet Union, and now the Russian Federation, have established post offices on the space stations that their cosmonauts have staffed and occupied, to the point of creating unique cancellation devices (ink stampers) that are only used in space. Officially, the postmark by definition proves the item was in space.It's because of that that the cancellation has been used on many more items than just mail. Patches, books, and even sneakers have been marked with the stamp in space to signify that they have flown. |
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