Home

Events Calendar

Current Covers Available

Projects for Kids

Club Cover Collection

Related Sites

Cover Servicing

Forms, etc.

Club Story

Stamp Club History

The Viking Project

Launch

In late 1975, planning began for the Viking mission events beginning with launch of Vikings A and B in the summer. Don Burcham began his search for suitable art for the cachet. The Viking project had used several logos during the development period. A contest sponsored by the project in the spring of 1975 produced a new cachet- the design of a high school student from Virginia, Peter Paul Purol, Jr., who attended a design vocational school at the same time. This attractive design was used by Don for both launch covers, and then modified several times for later use, such as the first-day covers described in the previous chapter, and anniversary covers discussed in that section.

A launch cover was produced for each launch, with the cachet design difference being the alternate choice of red and blue covers for the lettering. The advanced orders for these covers was so large that before the first launch we decided to reprint each design. The blue color of the second printing was slightly lighter than the first printing, and so two recognizable versions of each launch cover were produced. The numbers of each are roughly the same. These were cancelled in Pasadena for Viking A launch (06a) on August 20, 1975, and for Viking B launch (07a) on September 5, 1075. After a successful launch, Vikings A and B became Vikings 1 and 2 respectively (a common NASA mission numbering scheme). A limited number of covers were cancelled at KSC for Viking 1 (06b) and Viking 2 (07b) launches

Arrival at Mars

The plan for the events occurring the next year, when the Vikings arrived at Mars, were spectacular. Don picked various JPL artistic renditions of the Viking at Mars, and designed full color cachets, working with the printer to assure that we could successfully reproduce the art by four color separation. For four different events (Viking 1 Mars Orbit Insertion (MOI) (08a) and landing (09a), and Viking 2 MOI (10a) and landing) (11a), this was a major project. The club advertised in the stamp journals, and the journal of the Space Unit of the American Topical Association, and with the kitty from the Mariner 10 FDCs, we got the covers printed and postage purchased.

The second major hurdle was licking and stamping 8000 covers (the Postal service had done this previously). This proved to be the most fun for many club members, who spent their noon hours for many days preparing the covers. This training ground produced many experts who today still provide the backbone for our cover production.

The planned date for the first landing on Mars was July 4, 1976! This just naturally suggested another special Postal Service cancellation. The Viking Project at NASA Langley Research Center came through with a slogan cancellation that read:

LANGLEY VIKING - NASA'S FIRST LANDER ON MARS

This cancellation was to be available on and after the date of landing, in Pasadena and Hampton Virginia, the home of Langley.

Because the science group needed more time to select a safe and interesting landing site, the landing date actually was July 20 for Viking 1, and September 9, 1976 for Viking 2. Everything else worked out well. Club covers were produced for these events, as well as the MOIs on June 19 (Viking 1) and August 7 (Viking 2). The June 19 cover did not use the special cancellation, since it preceded the first landing. The club produced about 100 sets of club cachets cancelled in Hampton-Newport News, (Viking 1 Mars Orbit Insertion (MOI) (08b) and landing (09b), and Viking 2 MOI (10b) and landing) (11b) which were sold to club members and others when requested. We cancelled 2000 of each event in Pasadena. They were very well received, and sold out quickly.

There were many more memorable events in the Viking mission, but the stamp club didn't produce any more printed covers for mission events. Several rubber stamp cachets were provided for events such as first soil sample, and first Phobos encounter. These are described in chapter 12. Also, the club produced several anniversary covers which are described in chapter 10. One of the same cachets was used for the Viking First Day of Issue cover. Chapter 3 provides the details of the First Day of Issue cover.

Back to Beginning         Next Section