posted 09-06-2026 07:28 AM               

Space Cover 872: Little Joe II Part II

Way back in 2014 we discussed Little Joe II in Space Cover of the Week 263, focusing on the May 13, 1964, flight. So today, let's focus on the very first Little Joe II flight.

Little Joe II was an American rocket used from 1963 to 1966 for five uncrewed tests of the Apollo spacecraft launch escape system (LES), and to verify the performance of the command module parachute recovery system in abort mode. It was named after a similar rocket designed for the same function in Project Mercury. Launched from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, it was the smallest of four launch rockets used in the Apollo program.

Above is a Rank Velvet cachet cover postmarked at White Sands on August 28, 1963, for the very first Little Joe II flight. As with any of the Rank velvet cachets, the number produced is not known, but likely just in double digits.

This Little Joe II flight was the Qualification Test Vehicle launch carrying a dummy payload consisting of an aluminum shell in the basic shape of the Apollo command module, with an inert Launch Escape System (LES) attached. It reached an altitude of 27,600 ft and no recovery was attempted. This flight demonstrated that the Little Joe II booster would work for the subsequent May 13, 1964, launch with a boilerplate Apollo capsule and a live LES.

Has anyone else seen covers for the first Little Joe II (August 28, 1963) that don't have a Rank velvet cachet? If so, please post them!

posted 09-06-2026 08:56 AM               

What I do have however, is a very nice cover for the 25th anniversary of this Little Joe II flight. It marked the spot in my album as a placeholder, but since I have subsequently acquired the Rank cover I decided to still keep it in my main album series - they make a nice pair together.