Space Cover 844: Madrid 51D printed and RSC

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Author	Topic: Space Cover 844: Madrid 51D printed and RSC
Antoni RIGO Member Posts: 380 From: Palma de Mallorca, Is. Baleares - SPAIN Registered: Aug 2013	posted 02-07-2026 03:32 AM Space Cover of the Week, Week 844 (February 8, 2026) Space Cover 844: STS-51D Madrid printed and rubber stamp cachet covers From 1981 to 1992 there are Madrid tracking STS covers for each space shuttle launch. Usually, for each shuttle launch, you can find Madrid printed covers and rubber stamp cachet (RSC) covers with identical cachet because, identical image was used in the printed covers and to do the die to apply to blank covers. Printed covers were requested by German dealer Eberhard Coelle, in quantity around 200 to 300 exemplars, and RSC covers were delivered depending on the number of requests. In both cases, there are not official data neither not catalogs or lists about all Madrid tracking shuttle covers produced. Meanwhile printed covers are always equal (all printed covers were delivered at same time to post office and received the same postmark), RSC covers are different because they were result of answering to different requests sent by particulars or collectors along several days/weeks, who previously sent their requests to US Embassy in Madrid, or NASA-INTA headquarters in Madrid, or directly to Madrid tracking stations located in the village of Fresnedillas de la Oliva (until 1985, when it closed) or in Robledo de Chavela, still operative. However, in a few cases, printed and RSC are not identical but similar. Maybe, the best example are the covers for the STS-51D mission. Above the cover, printed version, monochrome, cheaper than multicolor, in red color was postmarked Madrid Apr 12, 1985 day of launch of Discovery shuttle. Postal rate is not the correct Spanish rate, just a stamp available at the moment; and registered postmark is used without registered mail, so no registered number. It was just a clear postmark to show to collectors. Below the cover, RSC version (all RSC are always monochrome, just changing the color applied) is slightly different, in blue color but without any text (no crew names, no Discovery word, no STS-51D mention). It is something strange because, as said, most usual is Madrid shuttle tracking printed and RSC covers with identical cachet. I do not know why happened it. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance for sharing here your comments.
randyc Member Posts: 972 From: Highlands Ranch, CO USA Registered: May 2003	posted 02-07-2026 10:25 AM Note that the cachet uses the STS-51G mission emblem (with the correct STS-51D crew) and not the STS-51D mission emblem.
Axman Member Posts: 879 From: Derbyshire UK Registered: Mar 2023	posted 02-07-2026 10:39 AM Does that mean the cachets are postdated (applied later) to the postmarked covers? If so, that might answer Antoni's query as to the missing names on the rubber stamp cachet. Although that then raises questions as to how a pre-printed cachet is applied post-flight...
randyc Member Posts: 972 From: Highlands Ranch, CO USA Registered: May 2003	posted 02-07-2026 10:57 AM Probably not. The original STS-51D mission used this design and had the same NASA astronaut crew, plus Greg Jarvis and Charlie Walker. They were reassigned to the STS-51G mission, except Jarvis and Walker were replaced by Baudry and Al-Saud. STS-51D was originally STS-51E with the same NASA astronauts and Patrick Baudry and was planned to use Challenger. When that mission was cancelled the crew moved to STS-51D and replaced Baudry with Jake Garn and Charlie Walker. The orbiter was also changed from Challenger to Discovery but the basic emblem design remained the same as the original STS-51E design.
Axman Member Posts: 879 From: Derbyshire UK Registered: Mar 2023	posted 02-07-2026 11:01 AM Ok. This is not my area of expertise. Thanks for the explanation.
Antoni RIGO Member Posts: 380 From: Palma de Mallorca, Is. Baleares - SPAIN Registered: Aug 2013	posted 02-09-2026 01:37 PM Many thanks for your comments Randy. I had a very similar information which was deliberately omitted in my first post to know if there might be another possibility. Alan, I know for sure that printed covers were delivered to the post office some days ago or even the same day to date requested in the cancel. If postal clerk canceled the covers, when he had a free moment, on same day, or days later...who knows. It is part of processing mail that happened in many cases when this kind of philatelic requests were dispatched at offices, more like a favor than a job.

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