From First Human Flights to Orbiting the Sun's Closest Planet
In short: The U.S. Postal Service has unveiled two new stamps marking a 50-year era of American space exploration. This collection bridges the gap between the first human spaceflight and the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury.
Two separate achievements are celebrated by these stamps: the Project Mercury flight of Alan Shepard on May 5, 1961, within the Freedom 7 craft, plus the MESSENGER voyage, which achieved the initial orbit around Mercury during March.
These two achievements frame a period of rapid advancement where the United States conducted more than 1,500 manned and unmanned flights, representing half a century of progress in space exploration.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: New U.S. Stamps Honor Two Mercury Explorers
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