|
Solar Maximum Mission
|
|
|---|---|---|
| SMM | SMM (patch) |
|
|
Solar Maximum Mission
|
|
|---|---|---|
| SMM | SMM (patch) |
This page contains philatelic information on the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite. 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) |
|---|---|---|
| SMM | SMM | SMM |
| SMM (on other than SMM launch covers) |
Below is a list of SMM satellite postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.).
| Country | Catalog Number | Type of Item | Year of Issue | Notes on Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) | ||||
| Angola | 1110f (Mi1449) | One of MS6 (1110 (a-f)) (Mi1444-1449) | 1999 | "S.M.S. 1980 Missão Solar Máxima" (but not "SMS", as in incorrect part of text) |
| Austria | 1219 cover (Mi1715 cover) | (Green printed) cachet on cover | 1984 | SMM repair (with astronaut) |
| Azerbaijan | 897b (Mi759) | In (lower-left) margin of MS10 (10x 897), also annotated | 2009 | SMM |
| Bahamas | KM171 | $5. (silver coin) | 1994 | SMM (10th anniv. STS-41C/Challenger repaired) |
| Central African Republic | 659 (Mi1038A) i659 (Mi1038B) | Imperforate | 1984 | SMM (STS-41C/Challenger repaired) |
| Central African Republic | 659 fdc | Stamp on FDC | ||
| Central African Republic | 659a (BL286A) i659a (BL286B) | On stamp of SS1 (659) On stamp of imperforate SS1 (i659) | ||
| Central African Republic | i662b (Mi1036-1041) | On one of imperforate MS6 (i657-i662) | ||
| Central African Republic | 761a (BL347A) i761a (BL347B) | In (right) margin of SS1 (761) In (right) margin of imperforate SS1 (i761) | 1985 | SMM (STS-41C/Challenger repaired)2 |
| Egypt | 1802 (Mi2061) | 2001 | SMM | |
| Fort Myers FL (USA) | Local | Imperforate | 1986 | SMM (STS-41C/Challenger repaired) |
| Gambia | 2269b (Mi3705) i2269b | One of MS6 (2269 (a-f)) (Mi3704-3709) One of imperforate MS6 (i22693 (a-f)) | 2000 | "Solar Max" (SMM) |
| Gambia | 2269b essay | One of MS6 (2269 imperforate essay (a-f)) | ||
| Gambia | i2269 fdc3 | Imperkforate MS6 on FDC | ||
| Guinea-Bissau | BL532 | In (right) margin of SS1 | 2005 | SMM (STS-41C/Challenger repaired) |
| Guyana | 3506 (BL674) | On stamp of SS1 | 2000 | "Solar Max" (SMM, STS-41C/Challenger repaired) |
| Guyana | 3506 proof | Imperforate proof | ||
| Guyana | 3506 proof fdc | Imperforate proof and (multi-color printed) cachet (same design) on FDC | ||
| India | None | (Tanapex pictorial) cancel on cover | 1996 | SMM |
| Italy | 2073 (Mi2427) | 1996 | SMM | |
| Madagascar | 1537b (Mi2480) | One of MS6 (1537 (a-f)) (Mi2479-2484) | 2000 | "Solar Max" (SMM) |
| Micronesia | 344p (Mi736) | From MS20 (344 (a-t)) (Mi721-740) | 1999 | "Solar Maximum Mission" (but Explorer-59 / ISEE-3 / ICE depicted)1 |
| Micronesia | 344q (Mi737) | SMM repair (not Explorer-59 / ISEE-3 / "ICE", as in text)1 | ||
| Morocco | Y116 | 1/2 dirham (copper-nickel coin) | 2002 | SMM |
| St. Thomas and Prince Islands | Unknown ms (Mi?) | In (lower-left) margin of MS9 | 2006 | "Solar Max[imum] Sun-Earth connections" with a symbolic Earth magnetotail (in lower-left margin)4 |
| St. Thomas and Prince Islands | Unknown ms fdc | MS9 on FDC | ||
| St. Thomas and Prince Islands | Unknown ims fdc1 | Imperforate MS9 on FDC | ||
| St. Thomas and Prince Islands | Unknown ims fdc2 | Imperforate MS9 on FDC (different) | ||
| Spain | None | (Orange and blue and black printed) cachet on cover | 1984 | "SMM" (in text only) |
| United States | 1914 maxi (Mi1483 maxi) | (Colorano silk) cachet on maxicard | 1981 | SMM (STS-41C/Challenger repaired) |
| United States | 1915 fdc (Mi1484 fdc) | (PCS golden-replica) insert from FDC, also front | "Solar Maximum Mission" (noted as depicted on the stamp (USA 1915), but Skylab depicted) | |
| United States | 1919a fdc | (Jim Butcher/Fleetwood) cachet on FDC card | ||
| United States | 1914 fdc 5073 fdc | (Colorano silk) cachet on FDC (5073 FDC, not important here) | 1981 2016 | SMM (STS-41C/Challenger repaired) |
| United States | 3262 fdc (Mi? fdc) | (Pugh Cachets Inc.) cachet on FDC | 1998 | SMM and manipulator arm |
| United States | 3410a fdc (Mi3367 fdc) | (Space Voyage/First Rank) cachet on FDC | 2000 | "Solar Max" (SMM, STS-41C/Challenger repaired) |
| United States | 5603 fdc (Mi? fdc) | (Alpine) cachet on FDC, also back | 2021 | "Solar Maximum Mission 1980" |
1The captions on Micronesia 344p and 344q are transposed: SMM repair, and Explorer-59 / ISEE-3 / ICE.
2Two Space Shuttle missions are merged on CAR 761a: Palapa-B (on stamp) was retrieved by STS-51A/Discovery; SMM (in right margin) was repaired by STS-41C/Challenger.
3The Gambia imperforate i2269 (also seen in i2269 fdc) does not perfectly match the perforated version 2269, but rather is quite similar to the essay 2269 essay. The authors believe that the perforated version 2269 includes the final design of these sheets that was actually issued.
4This item, generally for solar studies, can also be considered to refer implicitly to SMM, which was launched 14 February 1980 during the period of maximum solar activity of solar cycle 21. SMM marked the beginning of systematic monitoring of the total solar irradiance from space. During its operational lifetime (February to November 1980 and April 1984 to November 1989 - the gap was due to an attitude control failure late in 1980, but the satellite was repaired in April 1984 by STS-41C/Challenger), SMM observed some 12,000 solar flares and 1200 coronal mass ejections.
Below is a list of SMM satellite launch covers (including anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers).
| Country | Cancel Date | Cancel Location | Type of Item | Notes on Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) | ||||
| 1980-02-14: SMM [rocket] launched | ||||
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover | SMM [rocket] launch |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover | SMM [rocket] launch |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Greenbelt MD | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover | SMM [rocket] launch |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (SCPS) cachet on cover | SMM [rocket] launch |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Greenbelt MD | (GSFC Stamp Club) cachet on cover | SMM [rocket] launch |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Merritt Island FL | (Havekotte blue and red comsat and rocket rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | SMM [rocket] launch (but Westar-1/2/3 type or similar depicted with a rocket1) |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Kennedy Space Center FL (machine cancel) | (Havekotte blue and red comsat and rocket rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | SMM [rocket] launch (but Westar-1/2/3 type or similar depicted with a rocket1) |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Kennedy Space Center FL (hand cancel) | (Havekotte blue rubber-stamp and red comsat and rocket rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | SMM [rocket] launch (but Westar-1/2/3 type or similar depicted with a rocket1) |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Havekotte blue rubber-stamp and red comsat and rocket rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover | SMM [rocket] launch (but Westar-1/2/3 type or similar depicted with a rocket1) |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Patrick AFB, FL | (Whitney red and black) cachet on (airmail) cover | SMM [rocket] launch |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Cape Canaveral FL (hand cancel) | (Whitney red and black) cachet on cover | SMM [rocket] launch |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Cape Canaveral FL (machine cancel) | (Whitney red and black) cachet on (airmail) cover | SMM [rocket] launch |
| United States | 1980-02-14 | Greenbelt MD | (GSFC STDN blue rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | SMM [rocket] launch |
| 1984-04-07: SMM repair (and LDEF by STS-13 (41C)) | ||||
| Ascension Island | 1984-04-06 | Ascension | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover | STS-41C launch |
| United States | 1984-04-06 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Blue and black printed) cachet on cover | STS-41C launch |
| United States | 1984-04-06 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Brown printed and purple rubber-stamp) cachet on cover | STS-41C launch |
| United States | 1984-04-06 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Centennial) cachet on cover | STS-41C launch |
| United States | 1984-04-06 | Las Cruces NM | (White Sands STDN Facility) cachet (and signature) on cover | STS-41C launch (but TDRS depicted) |
| United States | 1984-04-06 1984-04-13 | Kennedy Space Center FL Edwards AFB, CA | (Mission patch) cachet on cover | STS-41C launch STS-41C landing |
| United States | 1984-04-06 1984-04-18 | Kennedy Space Center FL (machine cancel) Kennedy Space Center FL (hand cancel) | (Mission patch) cachet (and signature) on cover | STS-41C launch STS-41C return to Kennedy Space Center FL |
| United States | 1984-04-06 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Zaso silk/IASP no.74) cachet on cover | STS-41C launch |
| United States | 1984-04-06 | Greenbelt MD | (GSFC Stamp Club) cachet (and signatures) on cover | STS-41C launch |
| United States | 1984-04-06 1985-06-17 | Kennedy Space Center FL (machine cancel) Kennedy Space Center FL (hand cancel) | (Purple and brown rubber-stamp) cachet on (airmail) cover, also back | STS-41C launch STS-51G launch; Morelos-1 deployed |
| United States | 1984-04-07 | Houston TX | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | LDEF deployed |
| United States | 1984-04-07 | Houston TX | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover | LDEF deployed |
| United States | 1984-04-08 | Houston TX | (Zaso silk/IASP no.75) cachet on cover | SMM failed capture (even though the cachet refers to the LDEF) |
| United States | 1984-04-08 | Houston TX | (Space Voyage) cachet on cover | SMM failed capture |
| United States | 1984-04-08 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | SMM failed capture |
| United States | 1984-04-08 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Ranski) cachet on cover | SMM failed capture |
| United States | 1984-04-09 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Quadracolor?) cachet on cover | Approaching SMM in preparation for the second capture attempt |
| United States | 1984-04-10 | Houston TX | (SCCS) cachet on cover | SMM captured |
| United States | 1984-04-10 | Houston TX | (Zaso silk/IASP no.76) cachet on cover | SMM captured |
| United States | 1984-04-10 | Cape Canaveral FL | (Colorano silk) cachet on cover | SMM captured |
| United States | 1984-04-10 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Quadracolor?) cachet on cover | SMM captured |
| United States | 1984-04-10 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Quadracolor?) cachet (different) on cover | SMM captured |
| United States | 1984-04-12 | Houston TX | (SCCS) cachet on cover | SMM re-deployed |
| United States | 1984-04-13 | Edwards AFB, CA | (Zaso silk/IASP no.77) cachet on cover | STS-41C landing |
| United States | 1984-04-13 | Edwards AFB, CA | (Centennial) cachet on cover | STS-41C landing |
| United States | 1984-04-18 1984-04-06 | Kennedy Space Center FL (hand cancel) Kennedy Space Center FL (machine cancel) | (Mission patch) cachet (and signature) on cover | STS-41C return to Kennedy Space Center FL STS-41C launch |
| SMM (on other than SMM launch covers) | ||||
| United States | 1983-08-30 1983-08-14 1983-09-05 | (Kennedy Space Center FL) Kennedy Space Center FL Edwards AFB, CA | STS-8/Challenger launch cover folder page6/back, with front | "Solar Observing Satellite" (referring to SMM) |
| United States | 1984-02-03 | Downey CA | (RSDSC) insert from STS-11 (41B) cover, also insert back and cover front | "Solar Maximum satellite" |
| United States | 1984-02-03 | Houston TX | (Zaso silk/IASP no.71) cachet on STS-11 (41B) cover | "Rehearsal for Solar Max [SMM] repair" |
| United States | 1986-02-01 | Kennedy Space Center FL | (Zaso silk/IASP no.130) cachet on STS-33 (51L) launch [failed] cover | "Solar Max" |
1The rocket in this cachet is based on a Whitney-design cachet as found on covers such as this GOES-1_cover; the comsat design is similar to that of the Westar-1/2/3 type or Palapa-A1/A2 type or Anik-A1/A2 type satellites, all of which are essentially identical.
Back to Solar-observing spacecraft.
Back to STS-related satellites.
Back to Un-manned Satellite Philately.
