Autographed Space Covers

I am starting a thread about space covers. I am going to show many autographed space covers from my various collections. The offer still stands if anybody wants to see a copy of the Space Unit journal, email me your mailing address. Now I am going to start by showing 2 space covers from the Apollo days.
The first cover is from the Apollo-15 launch autographed by the KSC Director of Launch Operations, Walt Kapryan.

The last cover is from the Apollo-17 launch autographed by the KSC Chief Test Supervisor, Bill Schick.

Any comments and suggestions welcomed.

Wow, awesome covers! A fascinating time in our space travels! Man, oh man! Times sure have changed from the 70's!

Thanks!
Gussyboy1

I have 2 more for you. With the imminent retirement of the Space Shuttle's in 2010, I thought I'd show 2 autographed photos from the 1977 time frame.
First photo was autographed by the Approach and Landing (ALT) test crews.

Second photo was autographed by the ALT crews and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft crew.

Here are additional covers from the 1977 time frame.
The Space Shuttle Enterprise was rollout at Rockwell International, Space Division, Palkmdale, Ca. on September 17, 1976.

Cover was autographed by the following:
(1) Program Director at NASA Headquarters, Myron Malkin
(2) Project Manager at KSC, Dr. Robery Gray
(3) Orbiter Project Manager at JSC, Aaron Cohen
(4) Program Manager at JSC, Robert Thompson
(5) Approach and Landing Test Manager, Deke Slayton
(6) Project manager at MSFC, Robert Lindstrom
(7) ET Project Manager at MSFC, James Odom
(8) SRB Project Manager at MSFC, George Hardy
(9) SSME Project Manager at MSFC, James Thompson

The Space Shuttle Enterprise underwent Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) at Edwards AFB during 1977. These tests demonstrated that the Orbiter could fly in the atmosphere and land like an airplane. These tests took place in 3 phases. The first phase was the unmanned captive flights. These tests were conducted to assess the structural integrity and performance handling qualities of the Shuttle carrier Aircraft (SCA) and Enterprise.

The illustrated cover was cancelled on date of first unmanned captive flight and was autographed by the SCA 747 crew of pilot, Fitz Fulton; Co-Pilot, Tom McMurtry and Flight Engineers, Vic Horton and Skip guidry.

The second phase was the manned captive flights. This phase includes an astronaut crew aboard the Orbiter operating its flight control systems while remaining perched atop the SCA. These flights were designed to exercise and evaluate all systems in the flight environment in preparation for the free flights.

The illustrated cover was cancelled on date of first manned captive flight and autographed by the ALT crew of Fred Haise and Gordon Fullerton.

The third phase was the manned free flights. These flights verified the Orbiter's pilot guided approach and landing capability; demonstrated the Orbiter's subsonic terminal energy management auto land approach capability and verified the Orbiter's subsonic airworthiness, integrated system operation and selected subsystems in preparation for the first manned orbital flight.

The illustrated cover was cancelled on date of first free flight and autographed by the ALT crew of Fred Haise and Gordon Fullerton.
All three test phases were highly successful.

John I hope this scan shows up..i had to put the envelope length wise..its a strip of the space fantasy stamps signed by the artist !

The Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters provide power to propel the shuttle off the launch pad. After being separated, the boosters parachute into the Atlantic Ocean and are recovered for reuse. Before STS-1, the parachutes also known as the booster deceleration system needed to be tested to see if they were capable of lowering the boosters at a speed that would not damage them upon water impact. The parachute system was designed by the pioneer Parachute Company. A drop test vehicle (DTV) simulating the weight and size of an SRB was dropped from a B-52 at an altitude of 17,700 feet.

The illustrated cover cancelled on date of first drop test was autographed by the B-52 crew of Fitz Fulton, Vic Horton and Don Mallick.

Here are 4 covers that were autographed by the stamp designers.


The 2 stamp designers shown are Roy Gjerston and Robert McCall.

This is a really nice Space collection you have. Thanks for all the great pictures.

Hi John,

This cover isn't autographed, but I wonder what you could tell me about the applied NASA local post.

Thanks

Jim

Jim- I am doing a little research on your question. I'll email you when I gather the information.

With the imminent retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2010, I thought I'd show a series of Shuttle covers.
The Orbital Flight Tests (OFT) consisted of 4 flights to test out Orbiter systems under varying conditions. The three covers shown are from the first three flights of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Covers are autographed by the Flight Directors.

I have more flight directors covers to show you.
STS-6 the first flight of Challenger was launched on April 4, 1983.

STS-7 with the first woman astronaut was launched on June 18, 1983.

STS-8 the first night launch and landing was launched on August 30, 1983. STS-8 flew special covers in the payload bay.

This cover one of the flown covers was autographed by 4 of the crew.

VERY nice material!

I was an Aerospace Engineering student at Auburn University in the late '70's and our department had a small piece of the Space Shuttle development program. I spent a fair bit of time in Huntsville and even got to go to California to work with the first mock-up for a week.

It's hard to believe they are about to mothball the fleet!