Apollo-P&FS

[Apollo-deployed]
Particles and Fields Sub-satellite
(P&FS) series


This page contains philatelic information on the [Apollo-deployed] Particles and Fields Sub-satellite (P&FS) series. 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.

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)
P&FS
[Apollo-deployed]
P&FS
[Apollo-deployed]
P&FS
[Apollo-deployed]
P&FS (on other than P&FS deployment covers)


Below is a list of Particles and Fields Sub-satellite (P&FS) series postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.).

CountryCatalog NumberType of ItemYear of IssueNotes on Content
Particles and Fields Sub-satellite (P&FS) [Apollo-deployed]
Ajman StateMi1260A
Mi1260B

Imperforate
1972"Apollo-15" P&FS
Ajman StateMi1260 ds1Deluxe sheet (Mi1260) with margin text
Ajman StateMi1260 ds2Deluxe sheet (Mi1260) without margin text
Ajman StateMi1262A
Mi1262B

Imperforate
Ajman StateMi1260-1262 fdcTwo of three deluxe sheets without margin text on FDC
AjmanBL374In (right) margin of SS1 (Mi1451)1972"Apollo-15" P&FS
AustriaNone(Blue printed) cachet on cover1972On April 26, the P&FS-2 subsatellite (79 cm long, 63 cm in diameter, mass 36 kg) will be ejected by the Command and Service Module into a lunar orbit with perigee 102 km and apogee 139 km. Instruments carried: magnetometer, gravimeter and electron meter (in German text)
Equatorial GuineaMi23
MiA23

Imperforate
1972"Apollo-15" P&FS
Equatorial GuineaMi23 proofsProgressive proofs
Equatorial GuineaMi1497Mi23 overprinted1979"Apollo-15" P&FS
FujeiraMi835A
Mi835B

Imperforate
1972
FujeiraMi835 dsDeluxe sheet (Mi835)
FujeiraMi833A-837A fdcOne of five stamps on FDC
FujeiraMi967A
Mi967B
One of MS20 (Mi957A-976A)
Imperforate
1972
Grenada Carriacou2205b (Mi3192)One of MS6 (2205 (a-f)) (Mi3191-3196)2000(Apollo P&FS) "sub-satellite" (but Giotto depicted)
Grenada Carriacou2206b (Mi3198)One of MS6 (2206 (a-f)) (Mi3197-3202)"sub-satellite" (P&FS)
Grenada Carriacou2206b essayOne of MS6 (2206 essay (a-f))
MadagascarUnknown ms (Mi none)In (right-center) margin of MS3 (a-c) [known illegal issue]2019"Apollo-15" P&FS
Nevis2044e (Mi?)One of MS6 (2044 a-f))2021"TRW's small lunar sub-satellite" (Apollo-15 P&FS)
Ras Al KhaimaBL131A
BL131B
In (upper) margin of SS1
In (upper) margin of imperforate SS1
1972"Apollo-16" P&FS
Ras Al KhaimaBL131A-B fdcTwo (perforated and imperforate) SS1 on FDC
RomaniaC188 (Mi3022)1972"Apollo-16" P&FS
RomaniaC188+labelStamp (with label)
RomaniaC188+label maxiStamp (only) on maxicard (with different label)
RomaniaC188a (BL95)MS4 (4x C188 + 4 labels)
Romania2394 (Mi3076)1972(tiny) "Apollo-15/16" P&FS
RomaniaC192 (BL102, Mi3078)On stamp of SS1
RomaniaC192 fdcSS1 on FDC
SharjahBL135BIn (lower-right) margin of imperforate SS1 (Mi1065B) silver foil1972
SharjahBL136BIn (lower-right) margin of imperforate SS1 (Mi1066B) gold foil
SpainNone(Orange and blue and black printed) cachet on cover1984P&FS (but "PFSS" in text)
United States1435b fdc (Mi1046-1047 fdc)(Space Voyage) cachet on FDC1971"Apollo-15 sub-satellite" (P&FS)
United States1474 fdc1 (Mi1090 fdc1)(Colorano silk) cachet (with reproduction of Romania C188) on FDC1972"Apollo-16" P&FS
United States1474 fdc2 (Mi1090 fdc2)(Colorano silk) cachet (with reproduction of Romania C188) on FDC (different orientation)


Below is a list of Particles and Fields Sub-satellite (P&FS) series launch covers (including anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers).

CountryCancel DateCancel LocationType of ItemNotes on Content
Particles and Fields Sub-satellite (P&FS) [Apollo-deployed]
1971-07-26 (launched with Apollo-15)
1971-08-04 (deployed from Apollo-15): P&FS-1
United States1971-08-04Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel)(Orbit Covers) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel)(Orbit Covers) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Kennedy Space Center FL(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Kennedy Space Center FL(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet (and signature) on cover, also insertP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Houston TX(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Cape Canaveral FL(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Kennedy Space Center FL(Space Voyage Cachets) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Houston TX(SCCS) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Cape Canaveral FL(Brown printed) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Eglin AFB, FL(Black rubber-stamp) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Bronx NY(Black typed) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Kennedy Space Center FL(Mailer's postmark permit) meter and (Kennedy Space Center Philatelic Society?) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Cape Canaveral FL(Astro Covers, no logo) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04MSFC, FL(Astro Covers, no logo) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Cape Canaveral FL(Riser/Andromeda/Cygnus Cover no.3) cachet on (airmail) cover, also insertP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Cape Canaveral FL(Purple rubber-stamp) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Cape Canaveral FL(Solar Covers no.21) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Patrick AFB, FL(Solar Covers no.21) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
United States1971-08-04Cape Canaveral FL(Whitney purple circular) cachet on coverP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
Vatican City1971-08-04
1971-08-05
Vatican City
Vatican City
(KimCover no.407/358) cachet on cover, also detailP&FS-1 deployed (from Apollo-15)
"Man's first walk in deep space"
1972-04-16 (launched with Apollo-16)
1972-04-24 (deployed from Apollo-16): P&FS-2
United States1972-04-24Cape Canaveral FL(Orbit Covers) cachet on coverP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Kennedy Space Center FL(Riser/Andromeda/Cygnus Cover no.22) cachet on (airmail) cover, also insertP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Kennedy Space Center FL (machine cancel)(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Kennedy Space Center FL (hand cancel)(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Titusville FL(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Cape Canaveral FL(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Houston TX(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Houston TX(Goldcraft) cachet on coverP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Patrick AFB, FL(Whitney tan circular) cachet on coverP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Cape Canaveral FL(Whitney tan circular) cachet on coverP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Cape Canaveral FL(Sarzin) cachet on coverP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Cape Canaveral FL(Sarzin metallic) cachet on coverP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Kennedy Space Center FL(Kennedy Space Center Philatelic Society) cachet on cover, also backP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Kennedy Space Center FL(Kennedy Space Center Philatelic Society) cachet on (airmail) cover, also backP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Houston TX(SCCS) cachet on coverP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
United States1972-04-24Kennedy Space Center FL(Solar Covers no.38) cachet on cover, also insertP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16); (also green monochrome reproduction of Apollo-15 P&FS cover on insert)
United States1972-04-24Patrick AFB, FL(Solar Covers no.38) cachet (and signature) on cover, also insertP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16); (also green monochrome reproduction of Apollo-15 P&FS cover on insert)
United States1972-04-24
1972-05-29
Kennedy Space Center FL (machine cancel)
Kennedy Space Center FL (hand cancel)
(Lunar Voyage Cachets) cachet on coverP&FS-2 deployed (from Apollo-16)
P&FS-2 crashing on the lunar surface
P&FS (on other than P&FS deployment covers)
United States1971-07-26Kennedy Space Center FL(Black printed) cachet on Apollo-15 launch cover"First subsatellite launch. A subsatellite will be ejected into lunar orbit from the spacecraft scientific instrument module. The satellite includes three experiments that will continue to operate in lunar orbit for about a year".
United States1971-07-26Kennedy Space Center FL(Heritage/Crafts) insert from Apollo-15 launch cover, also (multi-color printed) front
United States1971-07-26Titusville FL(Heritage/Crafts) insert from Apollo-15 launch cover, also (Titusville-Moonport Stamp Club / Heritage/Crafts) front
United States1971-07-30Cape Canaveral FL(SpaceCraft/Swanson) cachet on Apollo-15 event cover, also insertP&FS "moon orbiting satellite"
United States1971-07-30Kennedy Space Center FL(Mailer's postmark permit) meter on Apollo-15 event cover (Kennedy Space Center Philatelic Society cachet?), also detailP&FS "subsat"
United States1971-07-31Kennedy Space Center FL(Mailer's postmark permit) meter on Apollo-15 event cover (Kennedy Space Center Philatelic Society cachet?), also detailP&FS "subsat"
United States1971-08-02Kennedy Space Center FL(Mailer's postmark permit) meter on Apollo-15 event cover (Kennedy Space Center Philatelic Society cachet?), also detailP&FS "subsat"
United States1971-08-07Kennedy Space Center FL(Mailer's postmark permit) meter on Apollo-15 splashdown/recovery cover (Kennedy Space Center Philatelic Society cachet?), also detailP&FS "subsat"
United States1971-08-07Cape Canaveral FL(Heritage/Crafts) insert from Apollo-15 splashdown/recovery cover, also (Heritage/Crafts) front
United States1972-04-16Cape Canaveral FL(Titusville-Moonport Stamp Club) insert from Apollo-16 launch cover, also front"After Young and Duke return [to the CSM (Command and Service Module)] from the [lunar] surface, the [P&FS-2] subsatellite will be launched into lunar orbit. This subsatellite will carry three experiments into orbit and transmit data back to Earthbound scientists for approximately one year". In the diagram, the P&FS-2 satellite, identified by the text "Particles and Field Subsatellite", is shown before its launch, stowed in the SIM (Scientific Instrument Module) in the Service Module.
United States1972-04-24
2022-04-24
Kennedy Space Center FL (Mailer's postmark permit cancel)
Kennedy Space Center FL (red hand cancel)
(Kennedy Space Center Philatelic Society?) cachet on Apollo-16 event coverP&FS-2 "Subsatellite II launch"
50th anniv. P&FS-2 sub-satellite launch


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Updated: 2023-09-26