Commemorating Viking Space Missions First Day Cover
Commemorating Viking Space Missions First Day Cover
The commemorative stamp was produced in 1978 to celebrate the second anniversary of NASA’s Viking spacecraft landing on Mars. The design was created by renowned space artist, Robert T. McCall. It depicts the Viking I lander collecting samples on the surface of Mars.The stamp was cancelled at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia on the first day of issue. It is attached to an ArtCraft cachet with an illustration of the Viking spacecraft. Commonly known as First Day Covers, these presentation envelopes or postcards are highly collectable for philatelists – people who study stamps.
NASA’s Viking program involved two identical spacecraft, Viking I and Viking II. They were launched separately on 20 August 1975 and 19 June 1976, respectively. Each spacecraft consisted of an orbiter and a lander, which allowed scientists to gain a better understanding of both the atmosphere and surface of Mars.
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More information
Object number
2017-9
Location
Artefact Store
Has this object been into space?
No
Dimension - Dimension, Value, Measurement unit
Length: 16.5cm
Width: 9.2cm
Material
Paper
Ink
Object Production Date
20/07/1978
Object Production Organisation
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Object Production Place
Hampton
United States
Object Production Person
Robert T. McCall
On Display Status
Not on display
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