Details:

Ken Mattingly and Henry W. “Hank” Hartsfield Jr. autographed First Day Cover commemorating United States Space Accomplishments, postmarked at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, May 21, 1981. The cover bears the signatures of astronauts Thomas K. “Ken” Mattingly II and Henry W. “Hank” Hartsfield Jr. and features the United States Space Accomplishments commemorative stamp issued during the early Space Shuttle era.

The cover celebrates the achievements of the American space program, with cachet artwork depicting lunar exploration, planetary probes, solar research, and orbital observatories beneath the title United States Space Accomplishments. The May 21, 1981 first-day cancellation came just weeks after the historic flight of STS-1, the first orbital mission of the Space Shuttle program, marking the beginning of a new chapter in American spaceflight.

Fine condition.

Thomas K. “Ken” Mattingly II (1936-2023) was a NASA astronaut best known as the Command Module Pilot of Apollo 16. Originally assigned to Apollo 13 before being removed from the flight shortly before launch, he later flew aboard two Space Shuttle missions, STS-4 and STS-51C, becoming one of the few astronauts to participate in both the Apollo and Shuttle programs.

Henry W. “Hank” Hartsfield Jr. (1933-2014) was a U.S. Air Force officer and NASA astronaut who flew on three Space Shuttle missions, including STS-4, the final Orbital Flight Test of the Shuttle program. He later commanded STS-41-D and STS-61-A and served in several leadership roles within NASA during the development of the Shuttle era.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11519 1416219-1