posted 05-25-2025 08:50 AM               

Space Cover 807: STS-8 Cabin Flown Cover

The space cover this week was flown aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger and has a low serial number of 485.

Much has been previously written about the USPS flying approximately 260,000 philatelic covers on the STS-8 mission from August 30th through September 5th, 1983. It remains one of the least expensive ways to obtain a space flown item, with many examples for sale at all times for less than $20.

What makes this specific example special is that the serial number on the reverse is within the first 1,000. This select subset of covers were flown within the main cabin and upon learning that these existed I had been in search of an example to add to my collection.

Cover 485 is housed in the standard colorful tri-fold USPS/NASA presentation folder but also included a welcome surprise, the letter shown below, the first I had come across.

Dated January 23, 1984, the communication is addressed to then Director of Kennedy Space Center, Richard G. Smith and signed by NASA Administrator James M. Beggs, who is presenting cover 485 to Richard. In person, the signature appears to be made with live ink, however I do not have a reference autopen pattern for Beggs for comparison. The letter confirms some details previously researched by Les Winick. I've included the series of articles Les authored on the subject below as they contain the result of his detailed research into the topic.

I have seen only a few low serial number covers, do you have one to share? If so, did it also come with a similar presentation letter?

I'll add that during my search I've created my own informal "Master Set" of STS-8 USPS covers and support material, summarized here with the serial numbers currently in my collection. Do you have other items in your collection that I should be on the lookout for?

USPS/NASA presentation folder, with manilla mailing envelope.

Cabin Flown Cover – 485, with presentation letter.

Low Number Cover (above 1000, below 2000) – 1291.

Cancellation Error Cover – 276094, only has Aug 14 cancel on front (missing Aug 30 on front, missing Sept 5 on front and back).

High Number Cover (above 260000) – 308734

High serial number explanation letter – included with covers numbered above 260000.

Fleetwood order form.

posted 05-25-2025 12:54 PM               

For me, this is the first time I see this letter inside the cover.

Regarding your "Master List", I think you have covered very well all types of unsigned STS-8 flown covers.

Another issue would be for signed covers; full crew signed, only some of them, signed by personnel involving this mission...

posted 05-26-2025 07:17 AM               

We've had several SCOTWs on the popular STS-8 flown covers and back on June 25, 2017, with SCOTW 423, we presented several STS-8 flight covers and one flown cover.

Garry asked if any of the flown covers were signed by all five crew members. Dr. Thornton steadfastly refused to sign any, even reportedly refusing in person, so it's believed that the only known complete crew signed covers are 10 from the crew cabin. Of course, some possibly were signed by the entire crew for themselves and their families.

Shown on SCOTW 423 were two impressive multi-canceled STS-8 covers (credit: Ken Havekotte), along with one flown example signed by four of the five.