On February 28th we had the pleasure of presenting to the Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli the folder containing one of the covers which ATV-2 carried last year to the ISS. Paolo Nespoli had personally recovered from the ATV the covers which were then signed by him and the by the other 5 members of the Expedition 26-27: Dmitry Kondratyev, Cady Coleman, Andrey Borisenko, Alexander Samokutyaev and Ron Garan.

Besides the ISS octagonal board “seal”, Nespoli also put on the cover his personal MagISStra hand stamp, which after the mission has been made unserviceable.

“The AS.IT.AF. flown and signed cover is presented in an elegant folder designed by our member the artist  Alec Bartos and is reserved for the AS.IT.AF. members only. ” http://www.asitaf.it

The 1962 4-cent “Project Mercury” stamp marked the first time that the U.S. issued a previously unannounced commemorative stamp at the same time as the event it was issued to honor. (cS)

The above cover was cancelled on the first day of issue fifty years ago. The cachet designs is made by me (Alec Bartos) in 2008 in an tirage of only two coves. As a custom commissioned cachets for Mr. Ben Ramkissoon. I have remade the cachet handmade. See below:

above: detail of Ramkissoon’s cover

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