As at the end of each year, at the last meeting of the National Philatelic Commission a topic on the agenda was choosing the most beautiful postage stamps issue of 2011 and postage stamp which will represent Romania at international competitions in 2012.

Considering the artistic conception of the design, their originality and personalization, the harmonization of colors and the correlation with printer requirements, following the proposals from the Commission members, were agreed the following postage stamps issues:

1st place

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS – “Eng. Dumitru Furnica-Minovici” WESTERN OLD ART MUSEUM

Designer:  Vlad Vamasescu

The 2nd place was awarded to Alec Bartos for his exceptional design of the “COSMOS 2011” souvenir sheet.

The complete “COSMOS 2011” stamp issue – images, technical characteristics and other details here.

3rd place
“LOCOMOTIVES”

Designer: Razvan Popescu

Article source:  http://www.romfilatelia.ro/noutati/comunicatepresa.php?ContentID=423

Related to the Cosmos 2011 stamp issue see: postage stamps issue COSMOS 2011 presented at the Romanian Academy 13.05.2011

IAA 2011 Planetary Defense Conference –  introducing into circulation the postage stamps Cosmos 2011

In 1958, the United States of America launched the first space mission, Explorer I that was to reveal a fundamental discovery for space explorations: due to its magnetic poles, the Earth is surrounded by a radiation belt, thereafter called “Van Allen”.
The Sputnik program implied a series of space missions no human aboard, conducted by the Soviet Union, during late 60´s and its purpose was to emphasize the feasibility of artificial satellites. The name “Sputnik” actually means “satellite” or “travel companion”. The first attempt to launch the Artificial Earth Satellite Sputnik 3 on February, 3rd 1958 was a failure but the second one, dating May 15th was a real success and managed to transport an important number of devices to be used in geophysical research into space. The magnetic recorder on board damaged and any research data registration on Van Allen radiation belts, just four months previously discovered by the American satellite Explorer I, accordingly became impossible.
In December 1958, the United States Army launched the Jupiter AM-13 missile having monkey Gordo aboard. This mission was devoted to biological research. Unfortunately, upon landing, the monkey died because of defection of the parachuting system of the missile.
The stamp with the face value of RON 1.00 presents Explorer I space mission.
The stamp with the face value of RON 2.40 presents Sputnik 3 space mission.
The stamp with the face value of RON 3.10 presents Jupiter AM-13 space mission.

On the 50th anniversary of the first man’s flight in Cosmos (Yuri Gagarin), on the 30th anniversary of the first Romanian’s flight in Cosmos (Dumitru Dorin Prunariu) and on the 50th anniversary of the first session of COPUOS (UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space), Romfilatelia introduces into circulation the postage stamps issue entitled COSMOS 2011.

On the postage stamp with the face value of lei 3.00 is reproduced the image of Dumitru Dorin Prunariu, the first Romanian cosmonaut.
Dumitru Dorin Prunariu was the first Romanian to ever take part in a space flight (Soyuz 40mission) within the Intercosmos Program, aboard Salyut 6 station (14th – 22nd of May 1961).

Together with the Russian cosmonaut Leonid Ivanovich Popov, Dumitru Dorin Prunariu performed several scientific experiments, among which, an important study on the terrestrial magnetic field.

On the postage stamp with the face value of lei 4.70 is reproduced the image of the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968).
In 1961, on the 12th of April, the cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin aboard Vostok 1 capsule was the first man to ever go on an orbital flight in the outer space.

50 years ago, it was held the first Session of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).

The postage stamp of the souvenir sheet of the issue,with the face value of lei 8.70 reproduces the image of the Earth seen from the outer space, at which is added the explanatory text of the anniversary event: 50 years – the First COPUOS Session.
The Committee was established by the UN General Assembly in 1959 for the purpose of harmonising international cooperation in the field of the peaceful uses of outer space.
Romania is a founding member of this Committee and was registered with COPUOS since 1959.
As reward for the activity and involvement of Romania in this field, our country holds the COPUOS Presidency, for the period June 2010 – June 2012, the elected President being the Romanian cosmonaut Dumitru Dorin Prunariu.
From 9 to 12 May 2011, the International Academy of Astronautics holds in Bucharest the second Conference on protecting our planet from impacts by asteroids and comets, 2011 IAA Planetary Defense Conference – From Threat to Action.

For the documentary assistance and the images offered for the accomplishment of this postage stamps issue, we would like to thank the Romanian Space Agency, the first Romanian cosmonaut Mr. Dumitru Dorin Prunariu, the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of Romania to the United Nations, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, The Federal State Unitary Enterprise in the Russian Federation – The Publishing and Trading Centre MARKA and also to the family of the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.

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 The man’s dream of flying has always existed… And also since then there existed the dream of the earthling of reaching the Moon …
The first person who wrote about the flight of some people on the Moon was Jules Verne in his novel From Earth to the Moon.
And those who made this dream become true were the Americans, by their Apollo program, carried out between the years 1961 and 1972.
The Apollo program began with a series of tests of the carrier rockets from the Saturn series, reaching to piloted space flights, with human crew, around the Moon. As a result of the announcement of the president J.F. Kennedy, in 1961, that USA will send a human crew on the Moon and until the end of the ´60, the program has been radically modified for this purpose.
For 8 years, the missions preparing the landing on the moon were carried out in an accelerated rhythm, even after the failure of the Apollo 1 test on the ground, on the launching platform, when the first victims among the astronauts were registered.
Apollo 11 was the first mission with human crew which landed on the Moon, the 5th flight with human crew and it has been the 3rd trip to the Moon.
A Saturn V rocket launched the Apollo 11 ship, having on board crew made of Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., from the Kennedy Space Centre, on July 16th 1969. The control module had the name of Columbia and the lunar module, Eagle, the eagle being the symbol of the United States.
On July 20th, historical day for the earthlings, Neil Armstrong being the first man who stepped on  another celestial body said: “That’s one small step for man, a giant leap for mankind”. A few minutes later he was followed on the lunar ground by his mission colleague, Edwin E. Aldrin Jr.
After this cosmic flight, other 10 people have stepped on the Moon until the end of the Apollo program, the last mission being Apollo 17.

Continuing the events dedicated to promoting the postage stamps issue Cosmos 2011 and the three important events celebrated this year, Romfilatelia presented in a selected atmosphere and a distinguished company, at the Romanian Academy, the philatelic issue dedicated to the cosmos and to the outer space flight.

The events were held Friday, 13th of May this year, at the Romanian Academy Hall, with the occasion of the Tribute Session, organized by the Romanian Academy, the Romanian Space Agency, Science and Technology Magazine and Romfilatelia, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first man’s flight in Cosmos and 30th anniversary of the first Romanian’s flight in Cosmos

This event was attended by Mr. Major Gr. (r) Dumitru Dorin Prunariu, President of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and the first Romanian who flew space, Gr. (r) Leonid Ivanovich Popov, commander of the spaceship on board which flew the first Romanian, Mr. Dipl. Ing Franz Viehböck, first Austrian in space, Mr. Russell Louis “Rusty” Schweickart, U.S. astronaut and Mr Aleksandr Panayotov Aleksandrov, second Bulgarian cosmonaut.

In the opening, the host of the event, Mr. Ionel Haiduc, President of the Romanian Academy, delivered a welcome message to the five cosmonauts, offering them a diploma of recognition of the entire work from the Romanian Academy.

Messenger of events that changed the world, the postage stamp celebrated this moment by joining with its specific activities this event. In her speech, Ms. Cristina Popescu, President & CEO Romfilatelia, mentioned the importance of values and awareness of our history, because they define our national identity.

Closing his congratulatory message addressed to the cosmonauts, the President & CEO of Romfilatelia invited Mr. Ionel Haiduc, President of the Romanian Academy, and the five astronauts to sign the presentation panel of the postage stamps issue Cosmos 2011.

The distinguished audience was joined by the President Ion Iliescu (1992-1996, 2000-2004), HRH, Prince Radu Duda of Romania, as well as H.E. Mr. Alexander Churilin, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, together with numerous guests of the media, academicians and great personalities of the Romanian space.

The event continued with a series of presentations of various projects undertaken at the international level, to which Romania has an important contribution, both human and technical support.

http://www.romfilatelia.ro/marci/colectia.php?ContentID=568

With the occasion of the second IAA 2011 Planetary Defense Conference – From threat to action, which will be held in Bucharest, from 9 to 12 May 2011, Romfilatelia was invited to join the event, by introducing into circulation the postage stamps issue with a special thematic, entitled Cosmos 2011. Designer: Alec Bartos

The postage stamps issue emphasizes 3 very important anniversaries at international level, celebrated this year:
─ 50th anniversary of the first man’s flight in Cosmos – Yuri Gagarin;
─ 30th anniversary of the first Romanian’s flight in Cosmos – Dumitru Dorin Prunariu;
─ 50th anniversary of the first session of COPUOS (UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space).

The launching event of the postage stamps issue took place in the presence of Mr. Dumitru Dorin Prunariu, President of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, William Ailor, The Aerospace Corporation, United States of America, Richard Tremayne-Smith, OoS, Great Britain, Rusty Schweickart, astronaut, B612 Foundation, United States of America and Sergio Camacho who unveiled and signed the launching panel of the issue, alongside over 200 guests of the conference.

Thanking Romfilatelia for the elegant and refined design of the postage stamps issue, Mr. Dumitru Dorin Prunariu – the first Romanian who flew in outer space – underlined the importance of the postage stamp which always proved to be a harbinger of great events that marked the world and wrote the history.

http://www.romfilatelia.ro/marci/colectia.php?ContentID=568