posted 07-28-2026 05:08 PM               

Space Cover 866: National Space Council

Have you ever looked at a dealer's inaugural cover box to find a space cover? Probably not, and in doing so you may have missed a scarce cover.

For the January 20, 1965 inauguration of President Lyndon Johnson and Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Robert Rank created one of his flocked space covers for Humphrey becoming Chairman of the National Space Council. Rank typically created 60 or less covers for each of the flocked cover events.

The chairman of the National Space Council is the Vice President of the United States. Thus, Humphrey assumed this role upon his inauguration.

By law and executive order, the Vice President serves as the chair of this White House policy body to coordinate national space policy and strategy across civil, commercial, and national security sectors. Members include high-ranking cabinet officials such as the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and the NASA Administrator.

Under Humphrey, the National Space Council focused on managing the peak of the Apollo program, expanding interplanetary satellite networks, and transitioning from a high-visibility advisory role into routine interagency program coordination. Executive Secretary Edward C. Welsh managed day-to-day operations.