Voyages into space have captured the imagination and excitement of stamp collectors through-out the world with increasing zeal. The year 1994 marked the 25th anniversary of man's first landing on the moon - and many countries (including the United States) issued stamps hailing this momentous occasion.
Two new additions to the space log are issuances by Micronesia and the Maldives.Micronesia, in the Pacific, has released eight new stamps dedicated to "Pioneers in Flight" as part of its "continuing salute to those who made great strides in modern aviation." The stamps also are a tribute to flight pioneers prior to the space experiments.
Honored are: Russian Yuri A. Gagarin, the first man in space (1961); U.S. astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., first American in space; American John H. Towers, who established a world endurance record in 1912 by remaining in the air for six hours; Canadian pilot William A. Bishop, who shot down 72 planes in combat; English aircraft designer Geoffrey de Ha-vil-land, who was the founder of one of Britain's first commercial manufacturing plants; Belgium aerospace engineer Karel J. Bossart, whose work led to the first U.S. intercontinental ballistic missile; Frenchman Marcel Dassault, former concentration camp prisoner who became the leading producer of aircraft in France; and German scientist Hermann J. Oberth, whose writings inspired space flight.
The eight new stamps are available for $14.95, first-day covers for $17.95 and both for $29.95, from the Aviation Collectors Society, P.O. Box 854, Van Nuys, CA 91408.
- Syd Kronish