posted 10-20-2024 11:03 AM               

Space Cover 776: Langley Research Center

The cover this week was machine cancelled on October 2nd, 1967, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the NASA Langley Research Center. For this golden anniversary, a special slogan cancel was used reading "Langley Research Center 50th Anniversary". The cachet highlights Langley's role in aerospace research beginning in 1917 as NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.

While not a rare cover, it did take me several tries to finally acquire one with a Project Mercury stamp (Scott #1193). I thought this was especially fitting since the cachet proclaims the research center as the birthplace of Project Mercury.

As the forbearer to NASA, NACA established the center originally as the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory at Langley Field, Virginia in 1917. Langley Field and the laboratory were named after aviation pioneer Samuel Langley, himself honored with a 45c airmail stamp in 1988 (Scott #C118).

When I think of the Langley Research Center, I immediately picture the full-scale wind tunnel with massive blades and drive motors that make aerodynamic and structural testing possible. The aircraft were mounted majestically as if in flight, in a simply astonishing 60 ft wide by 30 ft high test section, the largest in the world.

I have come across very little in the way of mail from this time, my only success is an official business penalty envelope from 1934, with the NACA Langley return address. It was mailed from Washington, D.C. to the Norton Company, which to this day is still operating out of Worster, Mass and is the global leader in abrasives and grinding technology for manufacturing. It was in 1873 that a Norton employee invented a grinding wheel that revolutionized the process, and their dominance of the industry was born.

Fast forwarding a few decades, the Langley Research Center having been renamed such in 1948, became the center of spaceflight in the late 1950's and early 1960's. This was when NACA was absorbed into the newly formed NASA, that the Mercury space capsule's shape was tested and perfected, a photo of a full-scale capsule at Langley in 1959 is shown below.

Following the golden anniversary in 1967, the center was celebrated again in 1992 with a special pictorial cancellation for 75 years in existence.

I'll end with that my goal one day is to obtain a "Space Task Group" #10 envelope from Langley. While there are numerous letters that have come on the market from the Mercury 7 astronauts on STG letterhead, fewer still maintain their original mailer. Looking forward to seeing other vintage Langley material and recent anniversary covers. Happy hunting!