Tuesday 2 February 2021

A Postcard A Day - Tuesday 2 February 2021 - T for Treasure (Man on the Moon)

 Hello lovely girls,

It's Tuesday again. Doesn't it come round quickly! It's T for Tuesday again, hosted by Elizabeth and Bluebeard. I heard Elizabeth is suffering from an eye problem. I hope you are feeling better today Elizabeth. Hopefully you have been seen by a vision specialist yesterday.



The bulk of this blog is about the stamps on an envelope I received from the USA this week. It is full of stamps commemorating the space program.They are so beautiful, I can't get over it. I was born in 1951, so I grew up with the excitement of the space program. But not everybody is interested in these things, so I have left it for last.

I have been knitting this week. The socks I have been knitting for my hubby are now finished and he loves wearing them:

Then I bought some wool for myself. A brighter colour this time:

The yellow thread is to indicate the beginning of the colour. (it gets discarded). In the meantime I have started my own socks (I mentioned the pattern last week):
That was yesterday, and at the time of writing we have this:


The heel is done on that one. I was going to do two socks at the time, but my magic loop needle was not long enough (it's 80 cm). Once I start on the cuff on thinner needles I can start the second sock and have two on the go at the same time. (Do the cuff while watching a film).
The film 'Yesterday' has just come out on Amazon Prime here in Spain, and I'm going to watch it some time this week. Has anyone seen it? It seems to be about a young man who is the only person to remember the Beatles and their music.

We've had some glorious weather this week as well as a fierce storm (storm Justine) and lots of little earth quakes. (never a dull moment)
Some photos taken from the top of our house (hubby was checking on the solar panels)

What am I bringing to the T-Party? A glass of 'red' beer that I shared with my hubby the other day.

Cheers!

Now last but not least the stamps. If you are not interested in stamps or the American  space program, you can now just zip to the bottom as this is the last item. Thank you for reading this far....

I have called this blog: T for Treasure, because I received a real treasure in the post this week. It was an envelope which contained a postcard. I am not showing you the postcard, because the real treasure was the envelope. It was so full of stamps that both sides were full and there was just enough space for the address.

This was the back of the envelope:


And this First Man On The Moon, (as well as Benefiting Mankind), were on the front of the envelope.
Most of the info I have gathered is from Wikipedia.

First Man on Moon Commemorative Issue of 1969

The Apollo 11 mission landed the first humans on the Moon. Launched on July 16, 1969, the third lunar mission of NASA's Apollo Program was crewed by Commander Neil A. Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr. On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin flew the Lunar Module Eagle to the surface and became the first humans to walk on the Moon, while Collins orbited in the Command Module Columbia. 


At 10:56 p.m. EDT Armstrong is ready to plant the first human foot on another world. With more than half a billion people watching on television, he climbs down the ladder and proclaims: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."


On September 9, 1969, the U.S. Post office issued its first airmail stamp to depict a space exploration theme, the First Man on the Moon issue. The man depicted in the space suit is Neil Armstrong taking man's first step on the Moon. This issue was designed by Paul Calle. The stamp's original master die was actually flown to the Moon, and a letter with the stamp canceled on the way back. The quantities issued were more than 152 million making the issue quite common, and quite popular.


This one features the Columbia Space Shuttle and the Space Lab:

It is part of a stamp sheet, issued by the United States in 1981, depicting space achievements: 
Benefiting Mankind, four center stamps featuring the Columbia space shuttle
Exploring the Moon, featuring an astronaut on the moon; 
Understanding the Sun, featuring the Skylab space station; 
Probing The Planets, featuring Pioneer 11 near the Saturn; and 
Comprehending the Universe, featuring a space telescope.

One of the stamps on the back feature Robbert H Goddard. I admit I had never heard of this man, so I looked on Wikipedia:

Robert H. Goddard Issue of 1964

Robert Hutchings Goddard was an American engineer, professor, physicist, and inventor who is credited with creating and building the world's first liquid-fueled rocket. Goddard successfully launched his rocket on March 16, 1926, ushering in an era of space flight and innovation. 

Robert Hutchings Goddard (October 5, 1882 – August 10, 1945) is widely recognized as the "father of rocketry," as he pioneered the modern propulsion rocket based on his knowledge of math, engineering and physics. His accomplishments included creating the first rocket propelled using liquid fuel and developing the first rocket to use internal vanes for guidance. He launched his first rocket in March 1926. Goddard continued to achieve many firsts in the field of rocketry with funding from institutions such as the Smithsonian. In 1919, the Smithsonian Institution published Robert Goddard's groundbreaking work, A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes. Other than from sources like the Smithsonian, Goddard received little public support for his research during his lifetime. He was the first to recognize the scientific potential of liquid fuel rockets in space travel and was instrumental in bringing about the design and construction of those rockets needed to implement those ideas.

Though his work in the field was revolutionary, he was sometimes ridiculed by the public and in the press for his theories concerning spaceflight and therefore became protective of his privacy and his research work. Years after his death, as manned spaceflight finally became a reality, Goddard at long last came to be recognized as the man who pioneered modern rocketry and ultimately space exploration.



How sad that this man was ridiculed in his time.


On October 5, 1964, the U.S. Post Office issued a postage stamp commemorating Robert Goddard. The stamp depicts an image of Goddard next to a rocket launching from the Kennedy Space Center. The Post Office released the stamp issues at a ceremony held in New Mexico. Goddard's wife, Esther Goddard, attended the ceremony. She was given the honor of pressing the button launching two rockets, one of which flew some mile and a half into the air. The two rockets each carried 1,000 first day covers, and after parachuting to the ground were recovered with the first day covers later sold to collectors.


Apollo 8 Issue of 1969

Up until the time of the Apollo 8 mission all manned ventures into space were confined to brief flights into space or to orbiting the Earth. Apollo 8 was the first human spaceflight mission to leave Earth orbit; the first to be captured by and escape from the gravitational field of another celestial body; and the first crew to voyage and then return to planet Earth from another celestial body – Earth's Moon. The three-man crew of mission Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot James Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders became the first humans to see the far side of the Moon with their own eyes, as well as the first humans to see planet Earth from beyond low Earth orbit.
Apollo 8, entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1968. NASA had asked the crew to "say something appropriate". That evening, the astronauts held a live broadcast from lunar orbit, in which they showed pictures of the Earth and moon as seen from their spacecraft. They ended the broadcast with the crew taking turns reading from the book of Genesis.
Earthrise, taken by Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders on 24 December 1968



The next one is the Sky Lab:   

Skylab Issue of 1974

The first skylab mission was launched from Kennedy Space Center May 25, 1973. A crew of three astronauts spent 28 days aboard Skylab. The second mission lasted 59 days, and the third and final mission lasted 84 days, setting a record at that time.

The 10-cent Skylab commemorative stamp first day of release took place at Houston, Texas, on May 14, 1974. This issue commemorates the first anniversary of the launching of Skylab, and depicts the station as it was repaired, complete with "umbrella" and missing the lost solar panel. The stamp was designed by Robert T. McCall and was issued in sheets of fifty, with an initial printing of 140 million.

Space Achievement Decade Issue of 1971

This 'Space Achievements' issue depicts the Earth, Sun, Lunar Module, the 
Lunar Roving Vehicle and astronauts. Two 8-cent connected stamps commemorating a decade of space achievements were placed on sale August 2, 1971, at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and Houston, Texas. First day covers were postmarked at two different post offices (Houston, Texas and Huntsville, Alabama, location of the two tracking stations.) rather than the usual one because of extraordinary popularity of the space program at the time of issuance.

Accomplishments in Space Commemorative Issue of 1967

Gemini IV was a June 1965 manned space flight in NASA's Gemini program. It was the second manned Gemini flight, the tenth manned American flight and the 18th spaceflight of all time (includes X-15 flights over 100 kilometres (62 mi)). It was crewed by James McDivitt and Ed White.


The highlight of the mission was the first space walk by an American, during which White remained tethered outside the spacecraft for 22 minutes. Tied to a tether, White fired his oxygen powered "zip gun" and floated out of the capsule. He traveled fifteen feet (five meters) out, and began to experiment with maneuvering. He found it easy, especially the pitch and yaw, although he thought the roll would use too much fuel. 



Two 5-cent connected stamps comprise one illustration of an astronaut during a space walk, honoring the space accomplishments of the United States. These issues were first placed on sale on September 29, 1967, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Project Mercury Issue of 1962

Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States. It ran from 1959 through 1963 with the goal of putting a human in orbit around the Earth. The Mercury-Atlas 6 flight on February 20, 1962, was the first Mercury flight to achieve this goal.

The Post Office Department honored this first orbital flight of a United States astronaut on February 20, 1962, when it released the Project Mercury commemorative stamp, placed on sale throughout the country at the exact hour Colonel John Glenn's historic flight officially had returned to Earth safely.

The 4-cent stamp features an image of the Mercury Friendship 7 capsule circling the Earth, against a field of stars. The spacecraft is now housed at the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC. Because the event was deemed so popular the number of quantities issued totaled more than 289 million, more than twice the average amount of quantities issued for commemorative postage issues of that time.

This issue has somewhat of an unusual history. It was one of the first issues printed on the new Giori Press (named after its inventor, Gualtiero Giori). It employed a series of specially cut rubber rollers that applied two or three different colored inks on the same printing plate. As the new press was being used to print the Project Mercury stamp before the mission took place and in case the mission failed or was canceled, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing kept word about the new press and the stamp issue's production a secret. To further assure that the project be kept secret the designer of this issue, Charles R. Chickering, worked from his home and simply claimed that he was away on vacation. The stamps, waiting at post offices around the U.S., were sealed and marked "Top Secret". Only after Glenn's trip were the postmasters allowed to open the package and see what was inside.



Sorry this has been a rather long post, but I hope you found it interesting.
(Remember there is also a Second on the 2nd today as well.)

I'm leaving you with all my best wishes for a great T-Day , a great Tuesday and a great week!
Stay safe,
Hugs,
Lisca


16 comments:

  1. Goddard is remembered because of the space center named after him. Here is the description:
    “NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is home to the nation's largest organization of scientists, engineers and technologists who build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study Earth, the sun, our solar system and the universe.”

    Your information about the stamps is very interesting. I remember seeing them — also remember the moon walk on TV.

    be well... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  2. Wow, that is a lot of stamps. And they are beautiful!
    The socks turned out wonderfully. I like the colors that you chose for yourself. Thank you for your info on the socks that you left on my blog. I want to try them, but I am not doing a lot of knitting at the moment. I saved the pattern. I have the knitting in the round needles so that is great for a start.
    Hopefully you won't get the bad weather that is expected. Earth quakes do not sound good.
    Happy Tea Day,
    Kate

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  3. WOW...the socks are amazing! Some day I want to learn to follow a pattern and then I will make socks!!
    Loved all the space stamps.
    Happy T day!

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  4. Can't say I recognize any of those stamps, so thanks for sharing them along with the interesting info.
    Your knitting is superb- such tight and uniform stitches Lisca!
    Please send some of your good weather my way...
    happy T day!

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  5. What a super collection of stamps Lisca. I loved seeing them again, as I remember most of them. I also liked reading about the people associated with them, especially Robert Goddard as he shot up the first rocket only about 20 minutes from where I grew up. And wonderful to see those pretty views from up top of your house. And that great can of beer. I love the steampunk image. Hope you have a quieter natural event week (no more earthquakes or storms). Happy February and T day too. Hugs-Erika

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  6. Wow what an amazing collection of stamps you received. I was born in 1949 and remember using some of these stamps. I was glued to the tv watching all those space adventures-as I was on the last one with space x last year when they did their first docking with the space station
    Love the socks you made for your husband and yours will be awesome too. I have a friend that loves to knit socks.
    funny yesterday my husband and a friend that dropped by were talking about red beers-don't see those much any more.
    Happy February and new week

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  7. German wool? I think Ingo´s late Granma used REGIA, also!
    Oh, how sad if there is only one person left to remember the Beatles!
    "never a dull moment"... you at least can take it with humor!
    Where did you get that beer, the can looks fab, I haven´t seen it here!

    I have to finish David J. Eicher and Brian May´s 3-D book "Mission Moon" - have you heard of it? Comes with 3-D glasses and you feel like really being right in there!
    I´ll show this post to Ingo, he´ll love this! He was but a 4-year-old when his parents dragged him out of bed in the middle of the night to watch the landing on the moon and he thought it was a comic, why wake him for that?!!! LOL.

    Before we got together (I was a kid) he visited my Dad, who had celestrons, often and they watched the sky together (Ingo is nearly 8 years older than me).

    I also loved Eugene Cernan´s book, "The last man on the moon", very well written.

    Wonderful stamps! In Esperance, Western Australia, we saw pieces of the Skylab in the museum - they still claim the US owes them money for "dumping" it there, LOL.

    Sorry, this was a rather long comment on your rather long post! ;-) Hugs from here, to socks and science, happy T-day (really where did you buy that beer? LIDL? or some special shob, can I get it here?)

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  8. Those socks look wonderful! You got a real treasure with that envelope. I remember watching the moon landing in TV, it was so fascinating. Take care, happy T Day and have a great week, hugs, Valerie

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  9. I love that yarn! I haven't heard of that movie, but it sounds interesting. Our weather has been dull gray with highs in the 30sF, but I prefer dull to named storms. Yikes!

    Happy T Tuesday!

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  10. Your posts are always to interesting. I have a friend in Germany who made knitted socks for me. I am telling you there is nothing better on my feet. Your socks look amazing too. Nice photo from the top of your house. That was a lovely gift to you from the US with all those stamps. Have a wonderful day.

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  11. Fantastic post! what a great postcard to receive with all that wonderful postage. I'm glad you shared the history behind the stamps, very interesting. Your socks are wonderful and toasty I bet too. I watched the trailer for that movie, but haven't watched it yet ~ let us know if you enjoy it.

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  12. Loving those socks, they look so amazing 😀. Great postage stamps and sorry to hear about the storms and earthquakes, you wouldn't think that either had happened looking at those blue sky views. Happy February and T Day! Hugs, Jo x

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  13. The socks look so pretty and cozy, too. Beautiful stamps. I grew up watching the Mercury and Apollo projects. I was 14 when the moon landing happened. Broadcast in my area at 4am. Dad had gotten us up to watch it on TV and I had fallen asleep on the floor. He woke me up saying You have to see this. This is history. It's a moment I won't forget. Happy T Day

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  14. Your socks look lovely. You knit so well.

    I loved the stamps and they brought back memories of my visits to the Cosmosphere in another town that deals specifically with Space Flight. I got to visit "Goddard's Lab" there. Various presenters showed some of the things he invented and some of his accomplishments. It was a fun filled post and I used to have some of those old stamps, too.

    I enjoyed your German Red drink. I would have saved the can and cut it to make a steampunk journal page. Thanks for sharing your postage stamps, your socks, and your German Red with us for T this week, dear.

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  15. Oh My - those stamps - I get your excitement! My ex and I didn't have a TV so I went to my parents house to watch - they didn't live so far away! What times!!! Your socks look great - I may get around to knitting some one day! Love those view! I hope you enjoy Yesterday, we saw it in the cinema and enjoyed it - of course the music is good!! Happy T day, Chrisx

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  16. As a knitter, I was delightrd to see your great socks. I enjoyed the stamps with the history you provided. Quite interesting.

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