By Astrophilatelie Martin
July 10, 1942, birth of Pyotr Iliyich Klimuk in Kamarovka, Belarus, Soviet cosmonaut selected on October 23, 1965 in the TsPK-3. group.
He participated in three space missions:
-Soyouz 13 from 18 to 26 December 1973.
-Soyouz 18 from May 24 to July 26, 1975.
-Soyouz 30 from June 27 to July 5, 1978.
He was part of the backup crew on flights 12 and Soyouz 17.
He left the Cosmonauts group on March 3, 1982 with 78 days 18 hours 17 minutes spent in space.
By Astrophilatelie Martin
France-American space mission aboard the ISS.
SpaceX Crew 2.
A special edition of 5 astrophilatelic envelopes, drawn from just 50 numbered copies, was made from Cape Canaveral (Florida) and Houston (Texas) to commemorate the Alpha mission aboard the ISS.
By Astrophilatelie Martin
July 7, 1978, the Progress 2 cargo was launched from Baikonour by a Soyouz U rocket.
Delivery of 2,161 kg of supplies for the second maintenance crew of Saliout 6 (Soyouz 29, Kovalenok and Ivanchenko).
Mooring at Saliout 6 July 9
Unmarried on the 2nd of August.
Disintegration into the atmosphere August 4, 1978.
By Astrophilatelie Martin
On July 6, 1976, the Soyouz 21 spacecraft was launched from Baikonour with the cosmonauts Boris Volynov and Vitali Zholobov on board. Mooring at Saliout 5 orbital station on July 7. The experiments conducted during the mission were mainly military-oriented as part of the Almaz program. Various purely scientific tasks were also carried out, including solar observations and biological observations of an aquarium placed in orbit. Using the Kristall furnace for growing crystals. A liaison with school children on August 17 was also undertaken.
Throwback to August 24, 1976 after a flight of 49 days 6 hours 23 minutes and 791 Earth orbits. The mission ended abruptly with the cosmonauts returning to Earth after just over 49 days in orbit. The exact reason for the mission's premature end has been the subject of much speculation, but it was reported that it was an emergency evacuation after the atmosphere in Saliut developed a sour odor. Subsequent reports indicate the mission could have ended due to deteriorating health for Zholobov.
By Nicholas Steggall
LARES 2
Laser Relativity Satellite 2 is a passive satellite by the Italian Space Agency.
LARES-1, was launched into orbit on 13 February 2012. It was launched on the first Vega rocket from the ESA Centre Spatiale Guyanais in Kourou, French Guiana. LARES-2 is scheduled for launch on the maiden flight of the Vega C rocket no earlier than July 13.
The main scientific target of the LARES mission is the measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect, a predictor of general relativity, with an accuracy of about 1%. LARES 2 may improve the accuracy of the frame-dragging effect measurement.
The media kit can be accessed from the following link.
https://esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Vega/Vega-C_inaugural_flight_VV21_media_kit
By Aurelio Stagnaro
Sixty-five years ago, the International Geophysical Year (IGY) was inaugurated on July 1, 1957 running until Dec. 31, 1958. Sixty-seven countries participated, conducting research in eleven Earth science disciplines. The timing of the 18-month ‘year’ coincided with the peak of solar activity, conducive to observations by several of the research areas. The most significant events during IGY were of course the first artificial earth satellites launched by the USSR (Sputnik 1) and the US (Explorer 1); the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts around earth by Explorer 1; and the defining of mid-ocean submarine ridges, a confirmation of plate-tectonic theory.
By Astrophilatelie Martin
On July 2, 1959, Wendy Barrien Lawrence was born in Jacksonville, Florida, American astronaut selected on March 31, 1992 in NASA Group 14.
She participated in four space missions:
-STS 67 Endeavour March 2 - 18, 1995.
-STS 86 Atlantis from September 26 to October 6, 1997.
-STS 91 Discovery June 2-12 1998.
-STS 114 Discovery from July 26 to August 9, 2005.
She left NASA in June 2006 with 51 days 3 hours 56 minutes spent in space.
By Astrophilatelie Martin
Vega VV20, launching on November 16, 2021. Twelfth launch of the year and third with Vega. The mission also marks the 300th launch of Arianespace with its launch range from the Guyana Space Center. This flight allowed to place three CERES satellites in orbit, developed under the supervision of the Directorate General of Weapons (DGA) with the assistance of the National Centre for Spatial Studies (CNES) for the benefit of the French Armed Forces. The three CERES satellites (Spatial Electromagnetic Intelligence Capacity) aim to collect electromagnetic information from areas that surface sensors cannot reach, without the constraints of flyover airspace and at all times, thus providing an in-depth situational image to support the design and execution of military operations. This state-of-the-art technology system, whose mastery of the space segment has been entrusted to Airbus Defense and Space, in co-mastery with Thales Defense Mission System for the payload and the ground user segment, allows France to join the very closed group most advanced countries in this field. On the other hand, Thales Alenia Space acts as a subcontractor to Airbus Defense and Space for the provision of the satellite platform.
By Astrophilatelie Martin
June 27, 1982, Columbia STS 4 launched from Cape Canaveral firing line 39A with astronauts Thomas Mattingly and Harry Hartsfield on board. In the shuttle bay, Cirris, an infrared telescope for detecting missile launches that can't work (optical cover did not come off). Usage of Cfes Electrophoresis Apparatus for pharmaceutical use. Astronauts experiment with the production of anti-hemophilic substances from beta cells for diabetics. First load of experience from the private sector (universities, industries, individuals). Trying scaffolding in the sas. Last test flight. Back on July 4, 1982 for a flight of 7 days 1 hour 9 minutes and 113 Earth orbits.
