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Q 2008-001-00 From : Gus W. Kathmann
(SU3743) - "I'm wondering if anyone in the Space
Unit knows the addresses for the Kourou Space Center and related tracking stations. I would like to send envelopes
for cancellation and cachets (if available) for Kourou space events. Also, would need to know the postage rate
from the respective country to the U.S.
Also, same question for Russian launches.
Any help in this regard will be appreciated."
Reply to : Red Eagle Stamps & Covers
A 2008-001-01 From: Various
- Several members have now sent information to Gus,
especially on the Ariane launches.
Q2006-001-00 From : John Macco
- I have a cover (see
scan) that is cancelled for the first launch of the Air-launched Pegasus launch vehicle.
I know Gordon Fullerton was the B-52 Launch pilot. What were the roles of the other individuals who signed the
cover?
A2006-001-01 From: Tom Steiner
- Schneider was the co-pilot.
A2006-001-02 From: Ross
Smith - I agree with Tom on Ed Schneider. There seems to be two likely
possibilities for Mike Bordy. The first is that
he was an observer from Orbital, the manufacturers of the Pegasus. Second is that he was a crew member of the B-52
carrier aircraft.
Q2006-001-03 From : John Macco -
I have since found out that Ed Schneider was Co-Pilot of the B-52 Carrier Aircraft. According to the
Dryden Flight Research Center website, Mike Bondy was the B-52 Crew Chief.
Q2001-001-00 From : Tom Reynolds
(SU4460) - I been collecting Space Shuttle covers issued
by TMSC over the pass few years and I am interested in determining the approximate value of each cover for issuance
purposes. I have not been able to find a resource that would help is assessing the fair market value and was wondering
if another SU member might have information or guidance on how to assign value. My feeling is that most covers
are held by SU members, because I have not seen TMSC covers listed through auctions or through local deals therefore,
it is difficult to determine value if they are not being traded. In addition, I have not seen the covers listed
in other resource documents such as The Beck Handbook, etc. so again, I find it difficult to determine value. I
have not tried having the collection appraised, but am considering. Any suggestions or guidance?
Q1999-002-00 From : Tim Cash
SU #984S - I am interested
in finding a mural of the scene from the moon on Apollo-16 that is shown as a four page fold-out in the July 1999
issue of Scientific American. This is to put on a wall of my new home in Melbourne. I searched the web for both
the artist and space or Apollo murals without luck. The only space related pre-canned mural I found was "Shuttle
In Orbit". With upcoming Apollo-11 anniversary, I want a moon walk mural, and this is one of the best photos
from the moon landings I have seen. Email: railman@freewwweb.com
Q1999-001-00 From : Stephen B.
Dubina, Jr. - I've have been collecting covers produced
by Mr. Riser, especially his Andromeda and Cygnus cacheted items. I would like to know if the following covers
were ever produced. I remember back in 1971 or so that he sent out a letter stating that he had some covers posted
in Belgium, and would be sent to subscribers of this service.
Andromeda Covers - were their # 24, 25, 26, and 30, out of a total of 31different
Cygnus Covers - was their a # 44, out of a total of 51 different
Q1998-001-00 From : Ray E. Cartier - I have been trying to find out the approximate date when a Chinese
named Wan Pou tried to launch himself atop several rockets. I believe that it was about 1100 AD, but have a stamp
claiming 3000 BC. Does anyone know the correct Date?
A1998-001-01 From: Ross J Smith - If this represents real events and not just fantasy, it could not have happen before the 10th century AD as 'the invention of rockets is linked inextricably to the invention of "black powder". Most historians of technology credit the Chinese with its discovery ........ sometime in the 10th century.' The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Space, Cambridge University Press, English Edition, 1990
A1998-001-02 From: Ray E. Cartier - China's Great Invention 1200 AD --- They were invented most likely by the Chinese in the thirteenth century. The early Chinese rockets were essentially arrows with a small rocket tube attached to the side. They had a range of about 200 meters. --- Around 1800, in India, the Prince of Mysore bombarded the English with 12-pound rockets made of iron. This spurred the English to create the British Rocket Corps and brought rockets to the attention of the West. Copyright 1997 Knowledge Adventure, Inc. http://www.adventure.com/encyclopedia/space/chinarkt.html
A1998-001-03 From: Mark Bloom - "Year 222 AD - Gunpowder will be invented in the next half century by Chinese alchemists of the Wu dynasty who will mix sulfur and saltpeter in the correct proportions and at the correct temperature to produce the explosive." The People's Chronology edited by James Trager 1979 pp. 43.
A1998-001-04 From: Kerrie Dougherty - According to "Space Travel: A History" by Dr. Frederick Ordway III, Wernher von Barun and Dave Dooling (4th edition, 1985), the story of Wan-Pou (also spelled Wan-Pu and Wan-Hoo) is most probably a legend, as there is no known Chinese documentation for it. Soviet spaceflight writer Nicholai Rynin, writing between 1928 and 1932, placed the story around AD1500; I have seen other dates for it varying from around AD600 to AD1100. Chapter 2 of the Ordway/von Braun/Dooling book cited above gives a concise history of Chinese rocketry and indicates that the earliest firecrackers may have appeared in China during the Chin/Qin Dynasty (221-207BC). Chinese writings from the Seventh Century AD onwards give a strong indication of the knowledege of black powder. By 1045, the year that the Chinese "Complete Compendium of Military Classics" was published, there is no doubt that the Chinese were well acquainted with black powder, and may also have had rockets by that time.
Q1998-002-00 From : Don Hillger
- I'm interested in an Australian 'stamp' that shows a
kangaroo crossing sign and some xx km distance and a bird sitting on the sign. I'm interested in the km sign, not
the bird. I put the word 'stamp' in quotes, because the one I have looks like it was cut out of a stamped envelope,
or possibly an aerogramme. It also appears to be a more recent issue. Can anyone please identify this 'stamp'.
Q1998-003-00 From : Walter M.
Hopferwieser- I still have questions on 10/15/1939 Cuba
rocket mail. Is there any way to start a discussion with anybody knowing details on this flight, the 10 Cents overprinted
stamps (do imperforated items exist?) or Cuban postal rules of this time?
Q1998-004-00 From : Ed Black asks Has there ever been a catalog produced exclusively for "Space City Cover Society" covers, and if so, how would I obtain a copy of same?
A1998-004-01 From: Ray Cartier The answer is that there has been no catalog to date. I'll contact Jack
McMahan and see if he has a listing somewhere of the covers made. I'll
let you know more when I find out.
Q1998-005-00 From : Robert Glass (GLASS007@aol.com) is looking for good clean zerox copies of the USS Lake Champlain covers dated May 5, 1961 Prime recovery ship for the flight of Alan Shepard. He is atempting to put together a booklet with copies of all known examples of this rare cover.
Bob Glass
963 Blvd East
Weehawken, N.J. 07087
USA
Q1998-005-00 From : Archie S. McKee
S.U. #3893 (Mckeeas@aol.com) asks Is there a source out there for
addresses for launches? I don't mean commercial addresses like Lollini, and Rodman, but more like local philatelic
clubs that issue covers for launches / events?
A1998-005-01 From: Mark Bloom How To Collect Space Covers lists a few. However that this list was last
revised 2/94!, by Ben. I'll email Don Butz, our new Asst. Editor, and have him place this question in the Q&A
column.
Here's the info listed:
Postmaster
(Covers for STS - # )
Kennedy Space Center, FL 32815
JPL Stamp Club
c/o NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Groove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91103 (3 SASE/Person)
Public Affairs Officer
Thiokol Corporation
P.O. Box 524
Brigham City, UT 84302-0524 (3 SASE/Person)
Public Relations Office
McDonnel Douglas Astronautics Co. 5301 Bolsa Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (3 SASE/Person)
JSC Stamp Club
NASA/Johnson Space Center Houston, TX 77058
(3 SASE/Person)
Public Affairs Officer
Rockwell International Rocketdyne Division
6633 Canoga Avenue Canoga Park, CA 91304
Public Affairs Officer
Rockwell International
Downey, CA 90241
or
Postmaster (covers for STS- # )
Downey, CA 90241 ------(Ask for special pictorial cancel)
Postmaster
STS - # _____Launch C001-S
Moffett Field, CA 94035
(2 SASE/Person)
Cachet Chairman
c/o Mailroom
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD 20771
(3 SASE/Person)
Postmaster
(Launch Covers for STS-#_____)
Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812
(3 SASE/Person)
Postmaster
Space Shuttle Cancellation
Houston, TX ((Note: original list does not state zipcode #. You
might try 77058!))
(Ask for pictorial cancel)
See inside back cover of Astrophile for cost and details of 'How to
Collect Space Covers'.
Q1998-006-00 From : Kerrie Dougherty, Curator, Space Technology,
Powerhouse Museum, Sydney - (<kerried@phm.gov.au>) asks
I am currently researching the earliest rocket launchings in Australia, both those conducted for 'rocket mail'
purposes and those of serious amateur rocketeers. I am particularly interested in detailed information
on the following: locally-designed rockets used by the Australian Rocket Society in Queensland for its rocket mail
flights; the history of the Australian Rocket Society in Victoria (a separate group, so far as I know, from the
Queensland society)and the very early attempts at rocketry by Brian Falkenberg of Byaduk, Victoria.
I have most of the standard rocket mail references for the Queensland group, but I am particularly interested in
locating anyone who may have first hand knowledge of any of the above groups, and I'm hoping that some of your
Space Unit members may be able to assist me.If you have any sugestions, advice or pointers to useful informations
sources (I'm also
after a good, overall coverage of the early history of rocket mail) I'd be grateful to hear from. All useful information
will be incorporated, with suitable acknowledgement, in the paper on early Australian rocketry that I am preparing
for the International Astronautical Conference, to be held in Melbourne this coming September.
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Last modified on 2006 September 2