30 September 2021

Mission Patches

The Tianzhou 3 patch on the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation `CASC` patch mosaic

ULA - Atlas V 401 - Landsat 9 - SLC-3 - Vandenberg Space Force Base

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Vandenberg is scheduled to launch a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the NASA Launch Program Landsat 9 observatory into a near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex-3 here Monday, Sept. 27, with a launch window opening at 11:11 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

Col. Rob Long will be the launch decision authority on this historic 2000th launch from the Western Range here on Vandenberg Space Force Base.

“The 2000th launch gives us the opportunity to celebrate the tens of thousands from Team Vandenberg, past and present, who share a proud heritage beginning with the first launch in 1958 through this 2000th launch,” said Long. “Space—and launch—is hard. Our record of success is a testament to longstanding mission excellence.”

The unique geographic location of Vandenberg makes this major range and test facility base a safe and ideal setting for confidence test-launching intercontinental ballistic missiles, intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and for placing satellite payloads into polar orbit.

Join us as we celebrate this Vandenberg Space Force milestone as we make history with our 2000th launch!

29 September 2021

Mission Patches

Cargo Dragon SPX-24 `CRS-24` NASA mission patch. Scheduled for launch in December.

China Manned Space

China Manned Space Poster

(by Nicholas Steggall)

28 September 2021

New Stamp issue - French Antarctic Territories

French Antarctic Territories - METEOSAT

Date of issue: 1 January 2021

New Stamp issue - France

ESA - 110th Ariane launch at Kourou 1

ESA on planet Mars. ESA-NASA cooperation

The third manned mission of the Crew Dragon launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket

Date of issue: 30 July 2021

Date of issue: 18 February 2021

Date of issue: 23 April 2021

27 September 2021

New Stamp issue - Egypt

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day ITU

Date of issue: 17 May 2021

New Stamp issue - Djibouti

60th Anniversary of the Vostok 1 and the First Man in Space

Date of issue: 1 March 2021

Although authorized by the Djibouti postal administration, this issue was not sold in Djibouti, but only distributed to the novelty trade by the Djibouti philatelic agency.

Landing of the Perseverance Rover on Mars

Date of issue 20 May 2021

Although authorized by the Djibouti postal administration, this issue was not sold in Djibouti, but only distributed to the novelty trade by the Djibouti philatelic agency.

Launch of Djibouti's First Satellite

Date of issue: 1 March 2021

Although authorized by the Djibouti postal administration, this issue was not sold in Djibouti, but only distributed to the novelty trade by the Djibouti philatelic agency.

26 September 2021

Stamp issues

You can check out the stamp issues for the following

2021 Space Stamp Related Issues

2020 Space Stamp Related Issues

Europa 1991 Stamp Issues

22 September 2021

Jeff 1

From our Chairman Ian Ridpath

Tribute to Jeff from Alec Bartos

20 September 2021

Murchison meteorite

The Murchison Meteorite

The meteorite shower that came to the town of Murchison, 160 kilometres north of Melbourne, on Sunday 28 September 1969, arrived just two months after the Apollo 11 Moon landing.

On the 50th anniversary of the Murchison meteorite impact, a stamp was issued by Australia Post on September 10. 2019 to commemorate this event. The stamp shows the meteorite in flight heading towards Murchison in Australia. The stamp was designed by Tim Hancock .

After an air explosion with a sonic boom, a few hundred fragment fell on around the town of Murchison. Over 100 kilograms were recovered from the fall area of the rare carbonaceous chondrite meteorite.

These meteorites retain chemical properties from their time of formation some 4.56 billion years ago. Murchison contains an abundance of organic compounds including over 90 amino acids, the building blocks of our DNA, many of which are not found on Earth. The meteorite is also a rich source of pre-solar mineral grains, which formed in star systems and exploding star supernovae events from billions of years before our Sun and solar system formed. Understanding the composition of these grains helped to determine how the various elements of the Periodic Table have formed within stars.

The hexagonal shapes represent the amino acids found in the meteorite. It is generally accepted that the amino acids and other organic compounds in Murchison have formed through non-biological processes. They do, however, indicate that the carbon building blocks of life may be readily abundant in space. It has been hypothesised that meteorites may well have “seeded” life on Earth by bringing such compounds with them.

(by Nicholas Steggall)

Israel Post new issue

Observatories In Israel

Israel Post issued three stamps in a miniature sheet form on Observatories in Israel on August 24. 2021. The stamp designer was David Ben Hador. There are a number of observatories in Israel, most of them belong to scientific institutions, while some are private and commercial. All of the observatories have smaller telescopes that are used for public viewing and for sun observations, as well as additional equipment used for explanations and demonstrations.

Givatayim Observatory. The Israeli Astronomical Association and the Givatayim Municipality founded the Givatayim Observatory in 1967. This stamp represents the educational side of astronomy in Israel and features the observatory building, the Moon and the Schmidt-Cassegrain observatory telescope that is available to the public. The stamp tab shows a schematic sketch of the Orion constellation.

Ramon Crater International Dark Sky Park. The Ramon Crater Nature Reserve is an erosion crater that has unique geological formations that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. This stamp represent the popular side of astronomy in Israel. Featuring the Milky Way and a Dobsonian telescope, the stamp tab shows the Pleiades star cluster.

Wise Observatory, Mitzpe Ramon. The Florence and George Wise Observatory near Mitzpe Ramon was dedicated in October 1971 and is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. This stamp represents the scientific side of astronomy in Israel. The stamp features the WISE observatory building, the M51 `Whirlpool` Galaxy and a one meter diameter Richey-Chretien research telescope. the stamp tab shows the Bootes constellation including the orange giant star Arcturus.

The strip at the top of the miniature sheet depicts the intensity of the wonder of creation that is the universe and the challenge faced by humanity to unlock its secrets. While the sheet margins features circular patterns of the Perseids meteor shower.

(by Nicholas Steggall)

19 September 2021

Serbia New Stamp Issue

Post of Serbia have issued a souvenir sheet commemorating, the `60 Years Since the First Manned Spaceflight`. The 3 stamps were issued with tabs and 3 first day covers, one for each of the stamps. they commemorate Yuri Gagarin, Gherman Titov and Valentina Tereshkova. They were issued on 29 June 2021.

(by Nicholas Steggall)

Somalia 2002

Somalia 2002. Set of four stamps on the theme of International Space Station concepts.

In early 1991, the Somali Postal service had 100 post offices with a total staff of between 1,665 and 2,165 personnel. The national postal infrastructure was later completely destroyed during the civil was with Somali Postal officially suspending operations in October 1991. Residents then had to turn to traditional methods of dispatching parcels and letters. they also communicated by handwritten letters sent through acquaintances, mobile and email messaging services. At this time postage stamps continued to be produced illegally and internationally during the war. their subject matter being designed for external collectors.

In November 2013, international postal services resumed with the Somali Postal Service being re-established. In October 2014, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications re-launched postal delivery from abroad.

(by Nicholas Steggall)