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Apollo Soyuz Space Issue

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10-cent Apollo and Soyuz after Link-up single

The US Postal Service issued this setenant pair of two 10-cent multicolored stamps on July 15, 1975, at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The Soviet Union released stamps of similar design (Russia Scott 4339-4340) at the same time. This denomination paid the domestic first-class rate for letters weighing less than half ounce.

Robert T. McCall designed the 'after link-up' image (US Scott 1569), and Anatoly Aksamit designed the 'before link-up' image (US Scott 1570). The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produced the stamps on the Andreotti press in sheets of ninety-six stamps, panes of twenty-four.

With the Apollo-Soyuz mission, two nations collaborated on a space project for the first time. In July 1975, the United States launched the manned Apollo Command, destined to rendezvous with Russia's manned Soyuz module. A special docking station facilitated interaction among the astronauts.

Television stations worldwide broadcast the historic docking and bi-national greeting. The modules remained docked for two days, during which the teams performed numerous experiments.

Reference:

  • "Apollo-Soyuz Test Project." NASA. history.nasa.gov/30thastp/index.html (accessed September 3, 2008).
  • Kloetzel, James E., ed. 2006 Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps & Covers. 84th ed. Sidney, Ohio: Scott Publishing Co., 2005.

Jill Piazza

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