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Pioneer-series satellites
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Pioneer-series satellites
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This page contains philatelic information on the Pioneer-series (non-planetary) 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.
The first part of the Pioneer series, Pioneer-0 — Pioneer-E (which failed), were primarily lunar, solar, and inter-planetary satellites. Only these earlier Pioneer (non-planetary) satellites are included here. The later part of the series, Pioneer-10 — Pioneer-13, were for exploration of the planets, including specific missions of two Pioneers to Jupiter/Saturn and two Pioneers to Venus. Those later Pioneer (planetary) satellites are not covered in this checklist.
| Launch information (found in the scientific/research satellites page) |
Launch covers, anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers (farther below) |
Postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.) (immediately below) |
|---|---|---|
| Pioneer (non-planetary) | Pioneer (non-planetary) | Pioneer (non-planetary) |
Below is a list of Pioneer-series (non-planetary) postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.).
| Country | Catalog Number* | Type of Item** | Year of Issue | Notes on Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer (non-planetary) | ||||
| Belgium | Local | In (lower-right) margin of imperforate MS2 | 1963? | Pioneer-51 |
| Bhutan | 406 (BL100) | SS1 | 1984 | Pioneer-51 |
| Bhutan | 407 (BL101) | SS1 | ||
| Burundi | 133 (Mi174) | 1965 | Pioneer-51 | |
| Burundi | 133a (BL17) | On stamp and in (center) margin of MS2 (131+133) | ||
| Cameroun | C84 (Mi502) | 1967 | Pioneer-6 (Pioneer-A) with folded antennas, date for Pioneer-1 | |
| Cuba | 1800 (Mi1875) | 1973 | Pioneer-3/42 | |
| Fujeira | Mi70 | 1966 | Pioneer-51 | |
| Fujeira | Mi149 | Mi70 overprinted new currency | 1967 | Pioneer-51 |
| Fujeira | Mi348 | Mi70 overprinted "Apollo-8" | 1969 | Pioneer-51 |
| Gambia | 3148a (Mi?) | From MS6 (3148 (2x (a-c)) | 2008 | Pioneer-1 |
| Gambia | 3148b (Mi?) | |||
| Gambia | 3148c (Mi?) | |||
| Gambia | 3150a (Mi?) | From MS4 (3150 (2x (a-b)) | ||
| Gambia | 3150b (Mi?) | |||
| Gambia | 3152 (BL?) | SS1 | ||
| Gambia | 3149a (Mi?) | From MS6 (3149 2x (a-c)) | 2008 | Pioneer-3 |
| Gambia | 3149b (Mi?) | |||
| Gambia | 3149c (Mi?) | |||
| Gambia | 3151a (Mi?) | From MS4 (3151 (2x (a-b)) | ||
| Gambia | 3151b (Mi?) | |||
| Gambia | 3153 (BL?) | SS1 | ||
| Ghana | 166a (BL9) | In (lower-right) margin of imperforate MS4 (4x 166) | Pioneer-51 | |
| Guinea Republic | Unknown (new issue) | SS1 | 2007 | Pioneer-5 |
| Guinea Republic | Unknown fdc (new issue) | SS1 on FDC | ||
| Haiti | m1310 (Y723)* | 1973 | Pioneer-6/7/8/93 with folded antennas | |
| Haiti | m1310 proof1 | Proof | ||
| Haiti | m1310 proof2 | Proof (different) | ||
| Haiti | m1310 proof3 | Proof (different) | ||
| Haiti | m1310 proof4 | Proof (different) | ||
| Haiti | m1310 proof5 | Proof (different) | ||
| Haiti | m1310 proof6 | Proof (different) | ||
| Haiti | m1369* | m1310 overprinted | 1974 | Pioneer-6/7/8/93 with folded antennas |
| Mongolia | C6 (Mi382) | 1965 | Pioneer-51 | |
| Montserrat | 891 (BL?) | In (upper) margin of SS1 | 1996 | Pioneer-51 |
| Qatar | 448 (Mi?) | 1975 | Pioneer-51 | |
| Rwanda | 136 (BL5) | In (lower-left) margin of MS2 (136 (a-b)) | 1965 | Pioneer-51 |
| Sharjah | 44 (Mi56) | 1964 | Pioneer-51 | |
| Sharjah | 44A (Mi?) | 44 overprinted new currency | 1967 | Pioneer-51 |
| Sharjah | 48b (BL4) | Imperforate SS1 | 1964 | Pioneer-51 |
| Sharjah | Mi1000 | 1972 | Pioneer-3/42 | |
| United Nations | 112-113 fdc (Mi122-123 fdc) | (Orbit) cachet on FDC | 1962 | Pioneer-5 |
| United States | None | (Goldcraft) cachet on Discoverer-8 launch cover | 1959 | Pioneer-51 |
| United States | None | (Goldcraft) cachet on Discoverer-11 launch cover | 1960 | Pioneer-51 |
| United States | None | (Centennial?) cachet on Explorer-S66 launch cover | 1964 | Pioneer-51 |
| United States | 1556 fdc | Cachet on FDC | 1975 | Pioneer-1 — Pioneer-9 |
| Yemen Arab Republic | Mi921 Mi928 | Changed colors on imperforate | 1969 | Pioneer-4, Pioneer-51 |
*Scott catalog number, unless prefixed with Mi or BL for Michel, or m for Minkus, or Y for Yvert; "i" prefix denotes imperforate version.
**FDC = first day cover; SS# = souvenir sheet, MS# = miniature sheet, where # = number of stamps in sheet, and the numbers in parentheses are the catalog numbers of the stamps in the sheet.
1Both Pioneer-5 and Explorer-6 were "paddlewheel" satellites. It is believed that Explorer-6 contained two short antennas on its "top", whereas Pioneer-5 contained only a single short antenna. When there are no antennas on top, the distinction is unclear, but of the two, Pioneer-5 is assumed.
2Pioneer-3 and 4 are basically identical.
3Pioneer-6, 7, 8, and 9 are all basically identical.
Below is a list of Pioneer-series (non-planetary) satellite launch covers, anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers.
| Country | Cancel Date | Cancel Location | Type of Item | Notes on Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer-1 | ||||
| United States | 1958-10-11 | Port Canaveral FL | (Goldcraft) cachet on cover | Pioneer-1 launch |
| Pioneer-2 | ||||
| United States | 1958-11-08 | Port Canaveral FL | (Goldcraft) cachet on cover | Pioneer-2 launch [failed] |
| Pioneer-3 | ||||
| United States | 1958-12-06 | Port Canaveral FL | (Goldcraft) cachet on cover | Pioneer-3 launch |
| Pioneer-4 | ||||
| United States | 1959-03-03 | Port Canaveral FL | (Goldcraft) cachet on cover | Pioneer-4 launch |
| Pioneer-5 | ||||
| United States | 1960-03-11 | Patrick AFB, FL | (Typed/printed) cachet on cover | Pioneer-5 launch |
| United States | 1960-03-11 | Port Canaveral FL | (Goldcraft) cachet on cover | Pioneer-5 launch |
| United States | 1960-03-11 | Port Canaveral FL | (?) cachet on cover | Pioneer-5 launch |
| United States | 1960-03-11 | Port Canaveral FL | (Printed) cachet on cover | Pioneer-5 launch |
| United States | 1960-03-11 | Port Canaveral FL | (Rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Pioneer-5 launch |
| United States | 1960-03-11 | Port Canaveral FL | (Sarzin) cachet on cover | Pioneer-5 launch |
| Pioneer-P30 | ||||
| United States | 1960-09-25 | Port Canaveral FL | (Rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Pioneer-P30 launch [failed] |
| Pioneer-P31 | ||||
| United States | 1960-12-15? | Patrick AFB, FL | (Rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Pioneer-P31 launch [failed] |
| Pioneer-6 | ||||
| United States | 1965-12-16 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Pioneer-6 launch |
| United States | 1965-12-16 | Cape Canaveral FL | (SpaceCraft/Swanson) cachet on cover | Pioneer-6 launch |
| United States | 1965-12-16 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Sarzin) cachet on cover | Pioneer-6 launch |
| Pioneer-7 | ||||
| United States | 1966-08-17 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Orbit) cachet on cover | Pioneer-7 launch |
| United States | 1966-08-17 | Patrick AFB, FL | (SpaceCraft/Swanson) cachet on cover | Pioneer-7 launch |
| Pioneer-8 | ||||
| United States | 1967-12-13 | Patrick AFB, FL | (SpaceCraft/Swanson) cachet on cover | Pioneer-8 launch |
| United States | 1967-12-13 | Cape Canaveral FL | (?) cachet on cover | Pioneer-8 launch |
| United States | 1967-12-13 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Sarzin) cachet on cover | Pioneer-8 launch (Ranger-3, 4, or 5 image)1 |
| Pioneer-9 | ||||
| United States | 1968-11-08 | Patrick AFB, FL | (SpaceCraft/Swanson) cachet on cover | Pioneer-9 launch |
| United States | 1968-11-08 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Sarzin) cachet on cover | Pioneer-9 launch |
| United States | 1968-11-08 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | Pioneer-9 launch |
| Pioneer-E | ||||
| United States | 1969-08-27 | Cape Canaveral FL | (SpaceCraft/Swanson) cachet on cover | Pioneer-E launch [failed] |
1Ranger Block-2 version (Ranger-3, 4, or 5) image, not Pioneer-8 on this cover.
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