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This page contains (selected) covers with Robert G. Rank velvet and Rank II cachets, and a few related covers with Rank silkscreened (printed) or typed cachets, mostly on un-manned satellite (or scientific rocket) launch or event covers. These covers, which do not include a Rank logo, were produced from 1962 thru 1970.
On this page, "selected" indicates covers for un-manned satellite (or scientific rocket) launches only, excluding manned missions for which additional covers exist but are not included.
Some of these velvet/flocked covers are from a Rank II series that appears to have been intended for FDC use (those in the Other Postal Items [non-launch cover] table below). Rank II cachets appear to have smaller areas of silkscreen printing than most Rank velvet cachets which have larger areas of silkscreened background color.
Besides Rank velvet and Rank II cachets, Rank also manufacturered First Rank, Space Voyage, InterSpace Cover, and Lunar Voyage Cachets, each with a logo.
Launch covers with multiple cancels are listed only one time on this page, by the earliest cancel, or by the cancel of interest even if later than another cancel not of interest; this is unlike the multiple listings on other pages where those covers are also found. Links to those other pages are included in each of the entries.
The process that Rank used to produce his velvet/flocked covers is briefly described in a letter he wrote to his customers in 1970. All Rank velvet cachets appear to have a background silkscreened layer, even though they are considered to be, and noted in the table below as, "velvet" cachets.
Readers who know of additional information or images are invited to contact the authors using the e-mail addresses found at the link at the bottom of this page.
| 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) |
|---|---|
| Rank velvet cachets | Rank velvet cachets |
Below is a list of Rank velvet (and related) cachets on postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.).
| Country | Catalog Number | Type of Item | Year of Issue | Notes on Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank velvet (and related) cachets | ||||
| Monaco | 542 fdc (Mi731 fdc) | (Rank II) cachet on FDC | 1963 | "Bell - Telstar-2" |
| United Nations | 49-50 fdc (Mi55-56 fdc) | (Rank II) cachet on FDC | 1957 | "UN World Meteorological Organization" |
| United States | 1107 fdc (Mi727 fdc) | (Rank II) cachet on FDC | 1958 | "IGY" |
Below is a list of Rank velvet (and related) cachets on launch covers (including anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers).
| Country | Cancel Date | Cancel Location | Type of Item | Notes on Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank velvet (and related) cachets (on un-manned satellite (or scientific rocket) launch or event covers) | ||||
| United States | 1962-04-23 | Port Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Ranger-4 launch |
| United States | 1962-05-24 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Mercury-MA-7 launch (no mention of Mercury Balloon-1 sub-satellite deployment) |
| United States | 1962-07-10 | Port Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet, pink and green) cachet on cover | Telstar-1 launch |
| United States | 1962-07-10 | Port Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet, pink and grey) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1962-08-27 | Port Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Mariner-2 launch |
| United States | 1962-08-27 1965-07-14 | Port Canaveral FL Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Mariner-2 launch Mariner-4 flyby of Mars |
| United States | 1962-09-11 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | Delta, Thor-Agena, and Scout rockets; "JFK's first Cape visit" |
| United States | 1962-09-11 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1962-09-11 1969-09-09 | Cape Canaveral FL Washington DC | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Delta, Thor-Agena, and Scout rockets; "JFK's first Cape visit" USA C76 FDC |
| United States | 1962-09-18 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | TIROS-6 launch: "Schirra's Weather Eye" |
| United States | 1962-09-28 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Alouette-1 + TAVE launch |
| United States | 1962-09-28 1965-11-28 | Vandenberg AFB, CA Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Alouette-1 + TAVE launch Alouette-2 + Explorer-31 launch |
| United States | 1962-10-03 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Explorer-14 (EPE-B) launch: "Schirra's Radiation Detector" |
| United States | 1962-10-03 1964-12-21 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Explorer-14 (EPE-B) launch Explorer-26 (EPE-D) launch |
| United States | 1962-10-18 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Ranger-5 launch |
| United States | 1962-10-31 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | ANNA-2 launch |
| United States | 1962-11-16 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet?) cachet on cover | Saturn-1 (Apollo-3) rocket launch |
| United States | 1962-12-13 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet, green) cachet on cover | Relay-1 launch |
| United States | 1962-12-13 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet, pink) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1962-12-13 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank typed) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1962-12-13 1964-01-21 | Satellite Beach FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Relay-1 launch Relay-2 launch |
| United States | 1962-12-13 1964-01-21 | Satellite Beach FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet, different) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1962-12-14 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Relay-1 launch |
| United States | 1962-12-14 1964-01-21 | Cape Canaveral FL Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet, brown and pink) cachet on cover | Relay-1 launch Relay-2 launch |
| United States | 1962-12-14 1964-01-21 | Cape Canaveral FL Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet, green and pink) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1962-12-14 1965-07-14 | Cape Canaveral FL Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Mariner-2 flyby of Venus Mariner-4 flyby of Mars |
| United States | 1962-12-16 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover, also insert | Explorer-16 (S55B) launch |
| United States | 1962-12-16 1964-11-06 | Wallops Island VA (machine cancel) Wallops Island VA (hand cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover, also insert | Explorer-16 (S55B) launch Explorer-23 (S55C) launch |
| United States | 1962-12-18 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Transit-5A-1 launch |
| United States | 1962-12-18 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (incomplete Rank velvet and rubber-stamp) cachets on cover | |
| United States | 1962-12-18 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Blue Scout Jr rocket launch: "1st space test of an ion engine - proposed ion ship" |
| United States | 1963-02-14 | Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Syncom-1 launch |
| United States | 1963-02-14 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-02-14 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-03-01 1964-11-05 | Palestine TX Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet, brown printing) cachet on cover | Stratoscope-II balloon launch Mariner-3 launch |
| United States | 1963-03-01 1964-11-05 | Palestine TX Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet, green printing) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-03-01 1964-11-28 | Palestine TX Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Stratoscope-II balloon launch Mariner-4 launch |
| United States | 1963-03-01 1964-11-28 | Palestine TX Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet (different) on cover | |
| United States | 1963-04-02 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Explorer-17 (AE-A) launch |
| United States | 1963-04-03 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-04-03 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet, different) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-05-07 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | Telstar-2 launch |
| United States | 1963-05-07 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-05-07 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-05-07 1962-05-071 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Telstar-2 launch |
| United States | 1963-05-07 1962-05-071 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-05-09 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | MIDAS-7 + ERS-5/6 + DASH-1 + Westford-2 launch |
| United States | 1963-05-09 1964-01-29 | Vandenberg AFB, CA Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | MIDAS-7 + ERS-5/6 + DASH-1 + Westford-2 launch Saturn-SA-5 launch |
| United States | 1963-05-15 1963-05-15 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Mercury-MA-9 launch Flashing Light Unit and Mercury Balloon-2 sub-satellites deployed as "Cooper's Satellite" |
| United States | 1963-06-15 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | SolRad-6 + LOFTI-2B + Poppy-2B + Poppy-2C + SurCal-3 + Wild Bill-4 launch |
| United States | 1963-06-15 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Transit-5A-3 launch |
| United States | 1963-06-19 1963-12-21 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | TIROS-7 launch TIROS-8 launch |
| United States | 1963-06-19 1966-05-15 | Satellite Beach FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | TIROS-7 launch Nimbus-2 launch |
| United States | 1963-06-25 | Nutley NJ | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "TV by Relay[-1] - President Kennedy visits West Germany" |
| United States | 1963-06-26 | Nutley NJ | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | "TV by Relay[-1] - President Kennedy visits West Berlin" |
| United States | 1963-06-26 | Nutley NJ | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-06-26 | Nutley NJ | (Rank velvet) cachet (and signature) on cover | "TV by Relay[-1] - Kennedy visits Ireland" |
| United States | 1963-06-26 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | KH4-22 + Hitchhiker launch |
| United States | 1963-06-27 | Nutley NJ | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "TV by Relay[-1] - Kennedy visits Ireland" |
| United States | 1963-06-29 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | GRS launch |
| United States | 1963-06-29 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet, magenta accents) cachet on cover | P698BK-1-D2 launch: "200th Thor" |
| United States | 1963-06-29 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet, pink accents) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-06-29 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet, trial with overlay) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-07-01 | Nutley NJ | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "TV by Relay[-1] - Kennedy visits England" |
| United States | 1963-07-01 | Nutley NJ | (Rank velvet, trial with overlay) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-07-01 | Nutley NJ | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "TV by Relay[-1] - Kennedy visits Italy" |
| United States | 1963-07-02 | Andover ME | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "TV by Telstar[-2] - President Kennedy meets Pope Paul" |
| United States | 1963-07-10 | Andover ME | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "First TV show by Telstar[-2] - Town meeting of the World" (on 1st anniv. Telstar-1 launch) |
| United States | 1963-07-10 | Andover ME | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-07-10 | Andover ME | (Rank silkscreened and magenta typed) cachets (and signature) on cover | "First TV show by Telstar[-2] - Town meeting of the World"; also 1st anniv. Telstar-1 launch (in magenta typed cachet) |
| United States | 1963-07-18 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | MIDAS-9 launch |
| United States | 1963-07-26 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Syncom-2 launch |
| United States | 1963-07-26 | Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-07-26 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-07-26 1964-08-19 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | Syncom-2 launch Syncom-3 launch |
| United States | 1963-07-26 1964-08-19 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened, different) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-07-26 1964-08-19 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-08-28 | WSMR, NM | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Little Joe 2 rocket launch |
| United States | 1963-09-18 1964-03-24 | Cape Canaveral FL Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Thor-DSV-2 Project ASSET-1 and -2 re-entry vehicle test missions |
| United States | 1963-09-28 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Transit-5B-1 + Transit-5E-1 launch |
| United States | 1963-10-17 1964-01-29 | Cape Canaveral FL Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Vela-1/2 + ERS-12 launch Saturn-SA-5 launch |
| United States | 1963-10-17 1965-07-20 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Vela-1/2 + ERS-12 launch Vela-5/6 + ERS-17 launch |
| United States | 1963-11-26 | Nutley NJ | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | "The tragic 4 days sent to Europe from Nutley NJ by Relay[-1] satellite - Relay[-1] transmits first TV by satellite to East European countries" |
| United States | 1963-11-26 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Explorer-18 (IMP-A/IMP-1) launch |
| United States | 1963-11-27 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-11-27 1964-10-04 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Explorer-18 (IMP-A/IMP-1) launch Explorer-21 (IMP-B/IMP-2) launch |
| United States | 1963-11-27 1964-12-11 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Surveyor Pre-Model launch Surveyor Model launch |
| United States | 1963-11-27 1964-12-11 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-11-27 1964-12-11 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened, pale colors) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-12-05 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Transit-5B-2 + Transit-5E-3 launch |
| United States | 1963-12-19 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Explorer-19 (AED-A) launch |
| United States | 1963-12-21 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | TIROS-8 launch |
| United States | 1963-12-21 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet, brown) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1963-12-21 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet, red-brown) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1964-01-21 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Relay-2 launch |
| United States | 1964-01-25 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Echo-2 launch |
| United States | 1964-01-30 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Ranger-6 launch |
| United States | 1964-01-30 1964-07-28 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Ranger-6 launch Ranger-7 launch |
| United States | 1964-03-27 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Ariel-2 launch |
| United States | 1964-04-10 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet, pink accents) cachet on cover | Scout rocket launch: "Project RAM" |
| United States | 1964-04-10 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet, red accents) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1964-04-21 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Transit-5B-3 + Transit-5E-2 launch [failed] |
| United States | 1964-06-02 1965-04-06 | New York NY Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "first sale of comsat stock"2 Early Bird (Intelsat-1) launch |
| United States | 1964-08-19 1962-06-23 | Satellite Beach FL Tokyo Olympics Fund Drive - Tokyo | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Syncom-3 launch Japan B15 FDC |
| United States | 1964-09-04 1967-07-28 | Satellite Beach FL Lompoc CA, Vandenberg AFB | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | OGO-1 launch OGO-4 launch |
| United States | 1964-09-08 1965-04-06 | New York NY Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "comsat stock listed on NY exchange" Early Bird (Intelsat-1) launch |
| United States Japan Japan | 1964-10-10 1962-10-10 1962-10-10 | Satellite Beach FL Tokyo Tokyo Olympics Fund Drive - Tokyo | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "Tokyo Olympics 1964 opening day on TV by Syncom[-3]" (left-hand cancel) Japan B18-B20 FDC (center and right-hand cancels) |
| United Nations United States | 1964-10-23 1965-07-20 | United Nations NY Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on FDC cover | UN 133 FDC: "Test ban treaty" Vela-5/6 + ERS-17 launch |
| United States | 1964-11-05 1964-11-28 | Satellite Beach FL (machine cancel) Satellite Beach FL (hand cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Mariner-3 launch Mariner-4 launch |
| United States | 1964-12-15 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet, bright) cachet on cover | San Marco-1 launch |
| United States | 1964-12-15 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet, pastel) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1964-12-15 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank silkscreened, blue/black) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1965-03-21 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Ranger-9 launch |
| United States | 1965-03-21 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover (with extra magenta rubber-stamp) | |
| United States | 1965-03-23 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Syncom-2: "1st astronaut communications by satellite" |
| United States | 1965-04-29 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Explorer-27 (BE-C) launch |
| United States | 1965-04-29 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank silkscreened?) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1965-07-30 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Pegasus-3 launch |
| United States | 1965-07-30 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank silkscreened?) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1965-08-21 1965-08-21 | Cape Canaveral FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Gemini-5 launch Rendezvous Evaluation Pod (REP) sub-satellite deployed |
| United Nations | 1965-10-04 | United Nations NY | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "Pope Paul visits UN - TV to Europe by Early Bird" |
| United States | 1965-10-04 | World's Fair NY | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "Pope Paul visits [World's] Fair - TV to Europe by Early Bird" |
| United States | 1965-10-04 | New York NY | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "Pope Paul visits NY - meets LBJ - TV to Europe by Early Bird" |
| United States | 1965-10-04 1965-10-04 | New York NY World's Fair NY | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "Pope Paul visits NY - meets LBJ - TV to Europe by Early Bird" World's Fair |
| United States | 1965-10-05 | Vandenberg AFB, CA | (Rank velvet/silkscreened) cachet on cover | OV1-2 launch |
| United States | 1965-10-15 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet/silkscreened) cachet on cover | OV2-1 + LCS-2 launch [failed] |
| United States | 1965-11-06 | Patrick AFB, FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | GEOS-1 (Explorer-29) launch |
| United States | 1965-11-19 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | SolRad-8 (Explorer-30) launch; also IQSY |
| United States | 1965-11-19 | Wallops Island VA | (Rank velvet, trial with overlay) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1965-12-06 | Vandenberg AFB | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | FR-1 launch |
| United States | 1966-02-26 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Saturn-1B rocket launch (Apollo AS-201 mission) |
| United States | 1966-02-26 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) | (Rank velvet, denser flocking) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1966-02-26 | Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1966-03-01 | New York NY | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "Town Meeting of the World: Robert F. Kennedy discusses nuclear proliferation on TV by Early Bird" |
| Australia United States | 1966-05-24 1967-05-29 | Woomera SA Lompoc CA, Vandenberg AFB | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | Europa-1 rocket launch ESRO-2A launch [failed] |
| United States | 1966-06-02 | Pasadena CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Surveyor-1 landing on Moon; also "1st Surveyor signals from Moon" |
| United States | 1966_07-05 1966-08-25 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Saturn-1B rocket launch (Apollo AS-203 mission) Saturn-1B rocket launch (Apollo AS-202 mission) |
| Japan | 1966-09-26 | Yotsuya | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | pre-Ohsumi-1 "Lamda-4s" launch [failed] |
| United States | 1966-10-27 1967-01-11 | Cape Canaveral FL Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | Blue Bird (Intelsat-2-1) launch [partial failture] (TIROS depicted) "Lani Bird" (Intelsat-2-2) launch |
| Japan | 1966-12-20 | Yotsuya | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | pre-Ohsumi-2 "Lamda-4s" launch [failed] |
| United States | 1967-02-15 | Pasadena CA | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Lunar Orbiter-3 event: "Apollo site first [Moon] photos" |
| United States | 1967-03-23 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "Canary Bird" (Intelsat-2-3) launch |
| Japan | 1967-04-13 | Yotsuya | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | pre-Ohsumi-3 "Lamda-4s" launch [failed] |
| Japan | 1967-04-13 | Uchinoura | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1967-04-20 | Pasadena CA | (Rank velvet, pink accents) cachet on cover | Surveyor-3 landing (on 19 April); and "Moon photos" |
| United States | 1967-04-20 | Pasadena CA | (Rank velvet, red accents) cachet on cover | |
| United States | 1967-04-24 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | Propaganda-design satellite; "Cosmonaut Komarov" |
| United States | 1967-06-14 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Mariner-5 launch |
| United States | 1967-06-25 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | "First worldwide TV show featuring the Beatles by [Early Bird (Intelsat-1), Intelsat-2-2, Intelsat-2-3, and ATS-1] satellite"3 (TIROS depicted) |
| United States | 1967-11-09 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Apollo-4 rocket launch (test and photographic mission6) |
| United States | 1968-03-27 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | Propaganda-design satellite; "Cosmonaut Gagarin" |
| United States | 1968-03-31 | Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | "TV by [Early Bird (Intelsat-1)] satellite - LBJ decides not to run"5 |
| United States | 1968-06-05 1968-06-06 | Satellite Beach FL Satellite Beach FL | (Rank silkscreened) cachet on cover | "World mourns loss of RFK on TV by [Early Bird (Intelsat-1)] satellite"4 (TIROS depicted) |
| Japan | 1970-02-11 | Uchinoura | (Rank velvet) cachet on cover | Ohsumi "Lamda-4s5" launch |
1The 1962-05-07 cancel, one year prior to the launch of Telstar-2 is most likely an error and meant to be 1963-05-07, as there is no significant Telstar event on that date.
2Intelsat shares sold: The second set of five million shares were sold to the public, with the FCC responsible for apportioning sales. When these shares were offered on 2 June 1964, the public snapped them up. Comsat stock was very popular--so popular that the size of purchases was limited and, as a result, Comsat stock ownership was dispersed.
3From "Our World (TV special)" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_World_(TV_special), the satellites used were Intelsat-1 ("Early Bird"), Intelsat 2-2 ("Lani Bird"), Intelsat 2-3 ("Canary Bird"), and NASA's ATS-1.
4From http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist/ITN/1968/06/07/T07066801/?s=*, TV coverage of the RFK assassination by ITN (Independent Television News, a British-based news and content provider) indicates "Video from Early Bird satellite".
5Early Bird (Intelsat-1) was most likely the satellite that carried the broadcast, though it is also possible that one of the Intelsat-2 series was used. From http://www.whiteeagleaerospace.com/early-bird-satellite-launch/, Early Bird was "the first satellite to provide direct and quasi-instantaneous communication between the North American and European continents".
6To demonstrate the structural and thermal integrity of the space vehicle and to verify adequacy of the Block II heatshield design for entry at lunar return conditions; also, a 70 mm still camera photographed Earth's surface every 10.6 seconds, taking 715 good-quality high-resolution pictures.
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