Moon Landing Stamps Unveiled in Kennedy Space Center Ceremony
Moon Landing Stamps Unveiled in Kennedy Space Center Ceremony
Apollo 9 lunar module pilot Rusty Schweickart speaks to guests at the Apollo/Saturn V Center during the first day of issue ceremony for two new postage stamps celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing. Photo credit: SpaceAgeChronicle.com/Bob Granath
By Bob Granath
Stamp collecting is one of the most widespread hobbies in
the world. Among philatelists, collecting stamps commemorating the history of
space exploration is one of the most popular topics for the pastime.
To the left, a representative of the U.S. Postal Service applies a commemorative first day of issue cancellation to an envelope during a ceremony at the Apollo/Saturn V Center. Above right, an envelope with the Apollo 11 mission emblem bears the commemorative first day of issue cancellation. Below right, the 50th anniversary Moon landing stamps: one features a photograph taken by Neil Armstrong of Buzz Aldrin walking on the Moon’s surface. The other includes an image of the Moon taken in 2010 by Gregory Revera of Huntsville, Alabama. Photo credits: left and above right, SpaceAgeChronicle.com/Bob Granath, below right: U.S. Postal Service
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing,
the U.S. Postal Service issued two stamps marking the event. The first day of
issue ceremony took place July 19, 2019 at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA’s
Kennedy Space Center. Speakers included Apollo 9 lunar module pilot Rusty Schweickart and current NASA astronaut
Mike Love.
One stamp features a photograph taken by Apollo 11 commander
Neil Armstrong of lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin walking on the Moon’s surface.
Armstrong and the lunar module Eagle are reflected in Aldrin’s visor.
During the first day of issue event, the Postal Service had the stamps for sale and cancelled envelopes and the commemorative items throughout the day. Photo credit: SpaceAgeChronicle.com/Bob Granath
The other stamp features a photograph of the Moon taken in
2010 by Gregory Revera of Huntsville, Alabama. His image shows the landing site
of the lunar module in the Sea of Tranquility marked by a dot.
During the event, the
Postal Service had the stamps for sale and cancelled envelopes and the
commemorative items throughout the day. Since 1969, more than a dozen U.S. stamps
have been issued honoring NASA’s Apollo Moon landing program.
The first Moon landing was honored with the air mail stamp on the left, issued Sept. 9, 1969. The design was controversial, as it did not say, “First MEN on the Moon.” The stamp concentrated only on Neil Armstrong’s first step. A quarter century after Apollo 11, the achievement was marked with the Express Mail stamp on the right issued July 20, 1994. This time, the stamp depicted both Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Photo credit: U.S. Postal Service
On Apollo 15 astronauts first used the lunar roving vehicle, commemorated during the mission with the se-tenant pair of stamps released Aug. 2, 1971. Photo credit: U.S. Postal Service
