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Azur, Aeros, and
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This page contains philatelic information on the Azur, Aeros, and Dial-Wika/Mika satellites. Catalog numbers, years of issue, and notes on the satellites featured are given when available. If readers know of additional information or images, please contact the authors using the e-mail addresses at the bottom of this page.
Azur is also known as German Research Satellite (GRS), but should not be confused with the USAF Geophysical Research Satellite (GRS).
Launch information (found elsewhere) |
Launch covers (including anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers) (farther below) |
Other postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.) (immediately below) |
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Azur / GRS (West Germany) | Azur / GRS (West Germany) | Azur / GRS (West Germany) |
Aeros (West Germany) | Aeros (West Germany) | Aeros (West Germany) |
Dial-Wika/Mika (France-Germany) | Dial-Wika/Mika (France-Germany) | Dial-Wika/Mika (France-Germany) |
Below is a list of Azur / GRS, Aeros, and Dial-Wika/Mika postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.).
Country | Catalog Number | Type of Item | Year of Issue | Notes on Content |
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Azur / GRS (West Germany) | ||||
French Guiana | None | (At upper-left of) cachet on cover | 1979 | "Azur" |
Germany (West) | None | (At upper-left of) cachet on cover | 1966 | (early-design) Azur, project name "625-A1" |
Germany (West) | None | (At upper-left of) cachet (same) on cover (different) | 1966 | (early-design) Azur, project name "625-A1" |
Germany (West) | None | (At upper-right of blue) cachet on stamped envelope | 1968 | "Azur" |
Germany (West) | None | (At upper-right of orange) cachet on cover | 1968 | "Azur" |
Germany (West) | None | (MBB) cachet on cover | 1972 | "Azur" (in cachet text) |
Aeros (West Germany) | ||||
Czechoslovakia | 2026 (Mi2280) | 1975 | Aeros (no Indian space involvement, as indicated in the text) | |
French Guiana | None | (At middle-right of) cachet on cover | 1979 | "Aeros" |
Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika (France-Germany) | ||||
France | 1270 (Mi1705) i1270 | Imperforate | 1970 | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch (based on cachet in fdc1 and text in the card), but small satellite in stamp resembles Vanguard-21 (not Dial-Wika)2; (The Diamant-B3 launch rocket only is shown in the cancel, and in the cachets on the card and on FDCs 2, 3, 4, and 5; this was the first launch of the Diamant-B3 rocket) |
France | 1270 fdc1 | Stamp and (Éditions J.F.) cachet on FDC | ||
France | 1270 fdc2 | Stamp and (Éditions PAC) cachet on FDC | ||
France | 1270 fdc3 | Stamp and (Éditions PAC) cachet on FDC (different cancel) | ||
France | 1270 fdc4 | Stamp and ('FDC') cachet on FDC | ||
France | 1270 fdc5 | Stamp and (PJ no.715) cachet on FDC | ||
France | 1270 fdc6 | Stamp and (PJ no.715) cachet on FDC (different cancel) | ||
France | 1270 card | Stamp and (Éditions CEF) cachet on FDOI card | ||
France | 1270 maxi | Maxicard | ||
France | 1270 maxi2 | Maxicard (different) | ||
France | 1270 maxi3 | Maxicard (different), also back | ||
Germany (West) | None | (MBB) cachet on cover | 1972 | "Dial" (in cachet text) |
Ras Al Khaima | Mi438A Mi438B | From strip of 3 (Mi438A+444A+450A) From imperforate strip of 3 (Mi438B+444B+450B) | 1970 | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch; Diamant-B3 rocket |
Ras Al Khaima | Mi444A Mi444B | "Dial-Wika" | ||
Ras Al Khaima | Mi450A Mi450B | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch; Diamant-B3 rocket | ||
Ras Al Khaima | Mi438A+444A+450A_st3+BLE95A fdc | Strip of 3 on FDC | (As above) | |
Ras Al Khaima | Mi438 ds1 | Deluxe sheet (Mi438) (blue-gray) | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch; Diamant-B3 rocket | |
Ras Al Khaima | Mi438 ds2 | Deluxe sheet (Mi438) (white) | ||
Ras Al Khaima | Mi444 ds1 | Deluxe sheet (Mi444) (gray/green) | "Dial-Wika" | |
Ras Al Khaima | Mi444 ds2 | Deluxe sheet (Mi444) (white) | ||
Ras Al Khaima | Mi450 ds1 | Deluxe sheet (Mi450) (gray/green) | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch; Diamant-B3 rocket | |
Ras Al Khaima | Mi450 ds2 | Deluxe sheet (Mi450) (white) | ||
Ras Al Khaima | Mi438_ds1+444_ds1+450_ds1 fdc | 3 deluxe sheets (gray/green) on FDC | (As above) | |
Ras Al Khaima | Mi438_ds2+444_ds2+450_ds2 fdc | 3 deluxe sheets (white) on FDC | ||
Ras Al Khaima | Mi_I451A Mi_I451B | Mi444A silver foil Mi444B silver foil | "Dial-Wika" | |
Ras Al Khaima | BL_I95 | Imperforate deluxe sheet, silver foil | ||
Ras Al Khaima | Mi_J451A Mi_J451B | Mi444A gold foil Mi444B gold foil | ||
Ras Al Khaima | BL_J95 | Imperforate deluxe sheet, gold foil | ||
Ras Al Khaima | Mi_I451A+Mi_I451B+BL_I95 fdc | Silver and imperforate silver and silver deluxe sheet on FDC | ||
Ras Al Khaima | Mi_J451A+Mi_J451B+BL_J95 fdc | Gold and imperforate gold and gold deluxe sheet on FDC |
1"like-Vanguard-2" items have the appearance of Vanguard-2, but the images of the satellite are quite small.
2Not Dial-Wika as intended, based on FDC.
3Diamant-B rockets were used to launch the Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika satellites.
Below is a list of Azur / GRS, Aeros, and Dial-Wika/Mika launch covers (including anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers).
Country | Cancel Date | Cancel Location | Type of Item | Notes on Content |
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1969-11-07: Azur / GRS (West Germany) | ||||
United States | 1969-11-07 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Orbit Covers) cachet on cover | Azur launch |
United States | 1969-11-07 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (SpaceCraft/Swanson) cachet on cover, also insert1 and insert2 front and insert2 back | Azur launch |
United States | 1969-11-07 | Lompoc CA, Vandenberg AFB | (SpaceCraft/Swanson) cachet on cover, also insert1 and insert2 front and insert2 back | Azur launch |
United States | 1969-11-07 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Vandy?/DuBeau? red and blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Azur launch |
United States | 1969-11-07 | Lompoc CA, Vandenberg AFB | (Centennial) cachet on cover | Azur launch |
Aeros (West Germany) | ||||
1972-12-16: Aeros-1 | ||||
Germany (West) | 1972-12-16 | Wessling Oberbay | Cancel on postal card | Aeros-1 launch |
Germany (West) | 1972-12-16 | Wessling Oberbay | Cancel and (black rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Aeros-1 launch |
Germany (West) | 1972-12-16 | Wessling Oberbay | Cancel and (black rubber-stamp and black printed) cachets on postal card | Aeros-1 launch |
United States | 1972-12-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover, also insert | Aeros-1 launch |
United States | 1972-12-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Swanson/DuBeau? blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Aeros-1 launch |
United States | 1972-12-16 | Greenbelt MD | (GSFC Stamp Club) cachet on cover | Aeros-1 launch |
United States | 1972-12-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Centennial) cachet on cover | Aeros-1 launch |
United States | 1972-12-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Riser/Andromeda/Cygnus Cover no.42) cachet on cover | Aeros-1 launch |
1974-07-16: Aeros-2 | ||||
Germany (West) | 1974-07-16 | Wessling-Oberbay | (DFVLR rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch |
United States | 1974-07-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch |
United States | 1974-07-16 | Greenbelt MD | (GSFC Stamp Club) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch |
United States | 1974-07-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Centennial) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch |
United States | 1974-07-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (DuBeau? black and red rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch |
United States | 1974-07-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (DuBeau? black rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch |
United States | 1974-07-16 | Greenbelt MD; USPS, MD | (GSFC violet rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch |
United States | 1974-07-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Orbit Covers) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch (Explorer-51/54/55 depicted) |
United States | 1974-07-16 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Printed) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch (futuristic depiction) |
United States | 1974-07-16 | Rosman NC | (Purple rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Aeros-2 launch |
1970-03-10: Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika (France-Germany) | ||||
French Guiana | 1970-03-10 | Kourou | (Le Burin d'Or) cachet on cover | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch |
French Guiana | 1970-03-10 | Kourou | (Lollini) cachet on cover | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch |
French Guiana | 1970-03-10 | Kourou | (Lollini) cachet (different color) on cover (cancel different color) | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch |
French Guiana | 1970-03-10 | Kourou | (Lollini) cachet on cover (different cancel) | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch |
French Guiana | 1970-03-10 | Kourou | (Lollini) cachet (different) on cover | Dial-Wika and Dial-Mika launch |
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