Space Flight Covers

Interesting mix of covers and FDC;

Space themed covers were very popular over the years, beginning way back in the 1950's at the start of the space race. Their popularity has waned a bit recently, but there are very dedicated topical collectors and associations still out there.

This post will reveal my age in a big way(lol)

I remember going to the post office and buying some of the project Mercury stamps on the afternoon of the flight by Glenn.

Does anyone know how the first day covers came to be, since the stamps were kept in secret and only made available to the public AFTER the successful flight on the same day. These FDC's with the cachet had to have been made after the fact--No??

As an aside---Presumably if the flight had not been a success, the stamps would have been destroyed.